LOCK
by RoseSiege
Summary: Could Buffy be an incarnation of her Aunt that Spike loved?Could there be a new scoobie member?Why does Angel come back into Spikes life, 200 years later? Well read to find out. SPUFFY: PG13
1. Moody things

Quick note every body…. I'm new to this so if there are some mistakes in the order of things, I apologize and will get better, hopefully J

__

Disclaimer: ALL THESE CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME AND ANYTHING BUFFY VAMPIRE SLAYER RELATED.

****

MOODY THINGS

"ELISABETH ANNE SUMMERS!"

"Crap, full name." Buffy mumbles to her self as she gets up from the couch, and makes her way to the kitchen. "Ya mom?" Buffy says as she rolls her eyes and looks at her.

" Don't give me that. I just got off the phone with Mrs. Catering." Joyce tries to say smoothly, but failing.

"Oh. Is that all?"

"IS THAT- Listen Miss on top of the clouds. Frankly, I don't call setting fire to the gym, yelling fire, then NOT going out with the rest of the class, scaring your teacher half to death-"

"You should've seen the look on her face." Buffy calmly interrupts, eyes looking down as she leans against the counter.

Joyce looks at her daughter, lips in a thin line, eyes spitting wild rage.

"Not to mention the whole time your "Friends" DARED YOU!" Joyce screeches through clenched teeth.

"Your forgot expelled, and no, they didn't dare me. Besides, the gym was hideous." Buffy puts in sighing with a wave with her hand.

" EXPELLED! Buffy, this has to be the fourth-"

"Fifth."

"Sigh FIFTH time that you have been expelled. What is going on? Why won't you tell me?" Joyce replies calming down, slightly.

"Look, are we done?" Buffy replies jaw clenched.

"No. This is the last straw. I can't take any more of the humiliation, and neither can Dawn. We've discussed it and so we're moving, to Sunnydale."

"WHAT! Just like that? When did you come up with this? Why was I excluded from this so-called "Decision"? JESUS CHRIST!" Buffy angrily exclaims at Joyce, walking right up to her, and glaring at her. "Well I guess all I can say is that I'm sorry that I'm such a disappointment to you, Joyce." with that she stomps out of the kitchen.

Joyce, in shock at how badly Buffy took the news, and how she used her first name, finally snapped out of it. "Watch your language! You do NOT talk to your mother that way! You are-"

"I know I know, grounded, no supper, and no telephone. Got it memorized by now shouldn't I?" Buffy calls back from the stairs sarcastically. " Besides, with all this excitement, I should start packing. Goodnight Joyce" and slams her bedroom door.

This causes a plate to crash to the floor in the kitchen, where Joyce sits down, and begins to cry.

"Mom?" Dawn sheepishly calls as she walks across the floor to comfort her mom. "Don't worry, she'll feel better about it tomorrow, you'll see." _I hope._

" Thank you Dawn. I'm just so worried about your sister; I don't know what to do. I've played all my tricks and done all I can. I'm just, tired of all this FIGHTING." Joyce proclaims as she sobs and sniffles. "She's so stubborn!"

"Look, it's been rough, but…she's also a teenager mom, like me, and older, which makes it harder, but totally uncool with the way she's treating you, by the way." Dawn reaches around her mom and gives her a tissue. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm **defiantly** psyched that we're moving."

Joyce slightly laughs and looks up at her youngest, glad that at least SOMEONE agrees with her. "Me too." She grins and hugs her daughter.

"Um, now that you're okay, could I go to the Mall? You know, that whole 'Saying goodbye to everything here' ritual?" Dawn asks Joyce with a hopeful smile. "Please?"

Joyce just sighs and nods. "Thanks mom!"

"Be back by 3!" And with that, another door slams, making another mess on the floor. "Sigh great."

THUMP. The first sound that Buffy hears as she drops one of the boxes with her stuff in it, onto the bare floor. "Yuck. I hate it already." She mumbles as the movers bring in more boxes from the moving van. " I'm so not going to like this." She says as the sun just dips past the horizon, and falling onto her bed sighing with annoyance. When she was told that they were moving here, the Watchers council contacted her and told her that there was a book in the High school library, that would help her in the future. What ever that meant. Also she was going to meet a new watcher. Someone who would help her train and peak her skills as she got older, but once again, she didn't know who.

"Oh mellow out for once Buffy, it's not the end of the world." Dawn chimes in as she waltzes into Buffy's room. "It has a huge window and HOLY CRAP! Look at that guy walking down the street!" Dawn screeches and practically runs to the window. "Oh. My. God. That has to be some sort of GOD out there or something. A TOTAL hotty!"

"Jeeze Dawn, stop drooling already. Your acting like this descendent of the male species is the first you've ever seen." Buffy tells her younger sister with a small smile.

"Oh for crying out loud, your SOOOO moody, lighten up. Besides, he looks more your type, and older. Too bad, he really is cute."

Buffy just snorts at her sister and gets up and starts to open boxes. _ And Dawn's definition of 'cute'_ _is someone who has a letter jacket. Pathetic really. _"Perfect. First, I have to move to this, EXTREMLY lame town where I have no life, then have people touch all my stuff, and after that my mother is avoiding me, and now, my sister has become my therapist. Could this get any worse?"

"AH! He's looking at your window! I think he saw me staring at him!" Dawn ducks under the windowsill and looks at Buffy, and starts to laugh. " Did he see me?" she says between giggles.

Buffy walks over to her window and looks down and sees the 'total hotty' Dawn said earlier, which he was. "Holy, you weren't kidding." she says under her breath. At this point, the guy had stopped looking at the window and was smoking a cigarette, leaning against a tree, his back to Buffy. He had black jeans and a black leather jacket on. His hair was bleached blonde and was slicked back with gel, and the profile of his face, Buffy was able to tell that he had high cheekbones and very blue eyes. As Buffy was checking him out, he flicked his smoke onto the road, and continued his walk down the street. By now it was completely dark out and she could barley see him now. " No, I don't think he did."

"Phew, that would've been embarrassing. Anyways, about the whole 'I hate it here and I'm not going to be happy' thing, just drop it, seriously. Its killing mom that you do not like it here, and personally, it's starting to get REALLY annoying. Hello, that's my job?"

"Any thing else doctor?" Buffy says sarcastically to her sister as she walks back to the boxes.

"Uh, your impossible! And I thought I was being stupid." With that, Dawn leaves Buffy's room and shuts the door.

"Finally." Buffy then tries to find a certain box and scrambles through her things. "Okay, seriously annoyed here." She says to herself, not finding it. "Ah ha, here it is." Buffy takes out a smaller box and opens it. Inside of it are wooden stakes, Sharp and deadly. "It's not like I didn't have a reason to burn the gym mom. Everybody has their reasons, I just can't tell you mine." Buffy tells the air sadly, as she closes the box to pick up another. This one contains small hunting knifes. She picks one up and starts to do her routine before making her bed, and going to sleep. " Sunnydale High, here I come."

****

SUNNYDALE HIGH

"Bye honey! I'll pick you up after school okay?" Joyce tells Buffy through the window of the car. "Okay?"

"Ya, whatever." Buffy responds reluctantly.

"And Buffy? Please be good? It's your first day. Impressions are everything." Joyce quietly remarks. " And no surprise calls after school, right?"

"Yeah, Yeah, I know, now make with the leaving." Buffy retorts, getting annoyed that her mom doesn't trust her now. "I gotta go inside," she calmly says as she turns around and walks to the front doors.

"Bye Buffy!" Joyce calls to her, then drives away.

"May the circus begin." Buffy mumbles walking down the halls. Then she bumps into somebody. "Oh I'm sorry!" She looks down to see a red head gathering her books in a hurry, not meeting Buffy's eyes.

"No, no, don't be, I wasn't looking where I was going when I should've and, wait, I've never seen you around here before, have I?"

"Well, no. I just transferred here last week, and I guess I'm a little lost. Could you, um, maybe, ah, help me?"

"Uh ya, I could do that. I'm Willow."

"Buffy."

"Huh, that's a very unique name." Willow smiles at Buffy and shakes her hand.

"Oh, it's short for Elisabeth. I prefer to be called Buffy though, if ya don't mind."

"Of course not. Where are you from?"

"Well I-" Buffy began.

"HEY WILLOW!" Somebody calls down the hall to her. "I GOT IT!"

"Well that's great Xander!" Willow calls back to the guy named Xander. "Did you get me one too?" She asks.

"Of course, for you milady. Whoa, who's the new girl? Aren't ya going to introduce me Willow?"

" Oh, well Buffy this is-"

"Xander, at you disposal." Xander takes a dramatic bow. "And from what I hear, you must be Buffy." He starts to take her hand to kiss it, but she pulls it away.

"Ya, hey, and you know it's rude to interrupt when 'milady' is talking."

"Um, Xander, the cookie?" Willow says to Xander after awhile.

"Oh! Sorry, forgot about it. Here." Xander bends on one knee, takes Willow's hand and puts the chocolate chip cookie in her hand. Then he looks up very seriously at her. "Willow, will you take my cookie?"

Willow laughs and pulls Xander up. "Of course, and thanks. Oh, Xander is my boyfriend."

"Really? Cool, and not to act cruel or anything, but could you please show me where my class is? It's Math, room123."

"Well guess what, me and Xander are both in your class! Terrific!" Willow smiles at Buffy and Buffy couldn't help not to smile back. This is the first time since the fire that anyone has been decent to her. It felt good.

"Great." and she meant it. With Willow and Xander on one side, they walked up some stairs and made their way to their first period. After some more questions they learned that Buffy was in all of Willow's classes and two of Xanders. They were chatting happily, making Buffy liking it here ever so little, when Willow groaned.

"What?" Asked Buffy, looking at Xander and Willow.

"It's the jerk circle that's what." Xander told Buffy while holding Willow's hand.

"Xander," Willow chided him, " Though they are crude and obnoxious."

At that moment, Buffy made eye contact with one of them. "Whose the leader?" she asks.

"Riley, he's the one in the letter jacket, if you could tell the difference. Sorry, I mean he's the one with the C on his letter jacket. I suppose that's a little more accurate." Xander clumsily tells Buffy. "Great, here they come." he says with a very, deep sigh.

****

MEETING RILEY

"Well well well, if it isn't loser and loserette." Riley glances at Xander and Willow then directs all of his attention to Buffy. "But why is a girl like you, hanging around with the likes of them?" Riley asks Buffy in a snide tone, and a smile. " I mean, you could have much more fun with me, if you get what I'm saying." that being said, it was followed by a bunch of 'oh's' and high fives from his group of friends.

"Excuse me?" Buffy scoffs out of her mouth, completely in commando mode. "What, you'd think I'd rather hang around with you? A stuck up, rich snob? Nah ah, I'd rather eat shit. But if you think having fun would be beating you to a bloody pulp, then sure, I could have fun. I just happen to like being around these two. And as for the stupidly thought up names for my friends here, was probably the lamest attempt at being a 'macho man' I've ever seen in my life. So just back off and get a life." Buffy glares at Riley and is practically nose-to-nose with him, not realizing it of course, when he grabs her and twirls her around.

"Well, aren't you the feisty one. It's not nice to insult me in front of my crowd little lady." Was Riley's response.

"LET ME GO!" She yells and knees him in the gut very hard, knocking the air out of him and loosening his grip. Then she twists out of his arms, and side kicks him in the head, knocking him down. "Nobody touches me without my okay." Buffy tells Riley through clenched teeth. " Back off."

Riley glares at Buffy and gets up slowly, holding his stomach, and wiping the blood from the side of his mouth. "Fine, have it your way. But this isn't over. Let's go!" he barks at his group, who are stunned that a girl took their leader out.

"Jesus Buffy! That was TOTALLY AWSOME!" Xander exclaims to her. " I've been waiting for somebody to do that FOREVER!" Then the bell rang.

" I'd have to agree with Xander. You really kicked kung fu butt." Willow sheepishly tells Buffy.

" But now that the excitement is over, we should go to class. Coming Xander?" She looks over at him and laughs. He was doing kung fu like moves and making 'hi-ya' noises, and not doing a very good job of it.

" Yeah, lets go before a principle comes or something, that would really make my day." So they piled into the class room, and Willow and Xander talked about the look on Riley's face when he hit the floor, while Buffy was hoping that no one else saw, except the fact that someone did.

Someone hiding in the shadows so the sunlight wouldn't burn him, or kill him for that matter, and who instantly knew.

" Huh, what are the odds." Spike whispered as he disappeared into the basement, " It's about bloody time."

"That little witch is gonna pay for this, no body humiliates me like that, especially not the likes of her!" Riley spits out in a vile manner.

"Whoa, calm down big guy, it's not like she knew your were a very powerful guy in the high school, uh, system." Oz replies, trying his hardest to get Riley to keep his tone down.

Riley just glares at him. " Oh I'm sure." He sarcastically tells Oz, knowing perfectly well that she knew whom she was dealing with. "She had the gull to refuse me, then insult me, THEN humiliate me in front of everybody that was watching. She saw the letter jacket perfectly well, and especially the C, so don't tell me she doesn't know my social status." Riley snorts at Oz, who is losing his patience.

"Look Riley, she's new, lay off a bit. Cordillera will dig her claws into her, and then you won't have to worry about her. She will be rejected all her own, and not with the 'help' of your oh-so-generous heart."

"It's not like I'm being obsessive-"

"Which you are." Oz puts in.

Riley takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "Why are you defending her?"

"Because all that I said will happen, and there's no point in getting involved, seriously. Your acting just like the dumb overreacting jock that you are."

"What! Oz, your so asking for it man you jacka-"

"Riley? Is there a problem?" Rupert Giles, head librarian and teacher of the study hall, asks.

Riley clears his throat, " No sir."

" Do you mind if you continue with your work?"

"No sir."

"Then I suggest you get to it."

"Yes sir," Riley looks down and starts to write on his paper with a little smile from an idea buzzing in his little head.

****

CAFITERIA

"So what's the deal with that Riley guy? He seems totally out there, ya know?" Buffy asks Willow during lunch.

"Well, he doesn't take being a loser very well. I mean in a sense where, he always has his way, and you, kind of, brought him down, you know? He's always the big winner, the mister perfect, and you reversed the situation." Willow giggles slightly, " You became the bully."

Buffy smiles a small smile when Riley and his group come in and eye the crowd for her. "Oh great. He wants a rematch." Buffy calmly says while laughing lightly, along with Willow and Xander, as Riley and his crowd walk up to their table.

"So I see your having a real good laugh at what happened this morning eh?" Riley coldly implies.

"Well, actually, we WERE laughing, but at the moment, not at you." Buffy retorts easily, smiling up at him while Xander and Willow cast their heads away from Riley's face, as they try to control their giggles.

Riley glares at her, and is about to say something, then stops, and smiles. "I actually came here, to apologize for my rude behaviour as a student representing this school, with you being new here and all. I was hoping you would come with me to my table with my gang, you know, to get to know each other a little better? Come on, what do ya say? It would be way more, ah, interesting then sitting with these, los-I mean, people." Riley gushes at Buffy, trying hard to stay smiling.

Buffy starts to clap her hands and gives a sarcastic look at Riley, " Bravo! Bravo! That was a very good display of near intelligence, and a complex attempt at common courtesy if I ever saw one! But you know what? I'd prefer it if you would leave my friends and me alone, and I don't want your apology okay? Good." Then Buffy just looks up at Riley and smiles as she waits for him to leave.

At this point Riley is fuming, mostly because his plan isn't going the way it thought it would. Usually if he put on the charm, girls would come grovelling at his feet for his attention. Rejection was something he was NOT used to. He takes his second deep breath and tries to calmly say, " I insist." but failing.

"No."

"Fine." Oz smiles. _And I thought Riley was stubborn._ With not leaving much to say, Riley stalks off in a really bad mood, swearing revenge. "Little witch," he mumbles as he leaves the cafeteria, fowl as ever.

As soon as Riley was out of ear shot, all three burst out laughing. Buffy takes a few deep breaths and looks across the room at the clock. Buffy sighs and looks back at Xander and Willow.

"Look, I need to go to the library okay? I'll see you two later." Buffy tells Willow as Willow is fed a fry from Xander.

"Okay, see you in science! Xander, your getting gravy on my chin…" Willow calls back as Buffy leaves.

__

Okay, I need to find the library and pronto, or else I might have to suffer another encounter with that jerk Riley. What the hell, why can I feel-

Then it began, and it started out with two strangers bumping into one another.

" OY! You've got ta watch where ya stomping around there, someone might get 'urt!"

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to-oh…OH"_ oh my god, it's that guy from outside my window. What should I do? He's soooo cute, no, bad Buffy, he's probably some sort of freak; they always end up that way. Besides, he has that…feeling I get when I'm around…OH MY GOD! But…in broad daylight? _"What…?" Buffy says cautiously to him. "What are you doing in a school in broad daylight?" Buffy backs up a few paces and wishes more than anything that she had her stake right now. _Okay, seriously re-thinking about bringing stakes to school! _ " You can't survive out here," she coldly informs him.

"So, you aren't totally clueless as to whom, or should I say, what I am, that's a good start," He smiles slightly, and leans against the wall facing her. "Slayer."

" And may I have the pleasure of you name? Considering you're on a head start." Buffy growls.

"Spike." He says cheerfully and sticks out his hand.

Buffy just looks at the hand as if it was poison. _Spike? I've heard that name before…but where?_

" Right, well, you better not touch a single student here, or it's your head."

Spike pulls back his hand and starts to laugh. "Ha! Right, like I'll take orders from a flippant little thing like you. I choose where I want to be sweetheart, even if it's in a school, on the brightest day of all days. It just so happens I was dealing with a little business, and I'll be on my way." Spike gets off from his position on the wall and starts to walk past Buffy, but she puts an arm up and blocks his way.

" Like I'm letting you leave."

Spike gives her a sidelong glance. "I'm touched, really, but if you are considering to break out in a raging battle, roaring battle cries and that 'hole bit, then maybe you should look around Pet, it's as crowded as a bee hive. You have to let me go, unless, you want to go into a deep conversation about how long this war has been going on, then by all means be my guest. I have no time for such pleasantries though, so I suggest you take your arm down. We can continue on our bright little introduction some other time." Spike informs Buffy, quite honestly.

Buffy stands there not looking at Spike, and slowly takes her arm down. " You can't go far you realize, I can find you again today if I wanted, when everyone else is gone."

"If you like. I'm sure you'll find me if that's the game ya want at play Pet. Ta ta Slayer, until another time." Spike elegantly bows to her, before turning around and whistles as he walks down the hall and disappears.

"DAME IT!" Buffy yells in frustration punching the wall, making a hole. Then she gets control of herself, realizes she just made a hole in the wall, then walks the remainder of the way to the library, where yet another surprise awaits her. _Why are vampire's egos always the size of California? Think they can just do what ever the hell they want. Yeesh, I hope that it won't have to put up with that jerk for a while. I can't believe I thought he was cute! _ As these thoughts were rolling through her head, she got to the library and to the front desk, and some what bitter after a very non-successful slaying attempt, if that's what you want to call it, When Giles came out of the back.

"Hello, can I help you?"

"Oh, well, I was hoping if I could get a library card. I transferred here a week ago and I need a book on...well, I'm not sure yet."

Jiles smiles and laughs a little. "Well, for your library card I'm going to need your name, ah Miss?"

"Buffy,"

Giles smiles, "Is that short for anything?"

"Oh, right. Full name. Okay it's Elizabeth. Elizabeth Summers."

Giles pauses and looks up at Buffy with a questioning look. _No, it couldn't be._

"Um, is there, ahem, something wrong, ah, sir?"_ Why is he looking at me like that? Creep._

Giles looks down, clears his throat, and takes out a card from underneath the desk."Right, well, I suppose you will need help finding that book right? What was it called?" Giles asks knowing perfectly well what she was going to say, writing down her name and library number.

Buffy takes out a piece of paper and reads out: "_' The worlds and their ways: Demons and hell fire.' _Hm, sounds cool."

"Ah. I know just what your looking for." He says, handing her the card.

"You do?" Buffy replies in minor shock. " I mean, I barley do."

Giles disappears into the back and comes out with a huge book, ancient and big. " Well I'm supposed to, considering that I'm your watcher."

Buffy looks at him with eyebrows raised. "You…you are my new watcher? Fantastic." Buffy drawls out.

"My my, aren't we the enthusiastic one." Giles says, a little hurt by the way she said it.

"Look, nothing personal, but I've been meeting a lot of…weird…things lately here at my school."

"Oh? Like what?"

Buffy rolls her eyes and starts to flip through the book. "Ah you know, the usual Vampires and royal jerks, that's all. Eww, these are some gruesome pictures…….Is that a…..oh my god!…..can they do that?…….what!…..woah, in my sleep……shudder battle axe………holy!"

Then Giles slams it shut and looks down at Buffy through his glasses, " Not yet."

Buffy smiles coyly. "ah, ruin my fun. Just like a faithful teacher should be doing, anyway."

Giles puts out his hand, " Rupert Giles, but just call me Giles."

Buffy takes his hand slowly and shakes it twice, " Buffy, but I guess you already knew that."

****

SPIKE

After Spike had his little encounter with the slayer, he jumped back down into the basement to think about her, because you know what they say. Love at first sight.

__

Bloody hell she was beautiful, even more so then Dru, I'd say. Dame shame she's the slayer, might have had a better chance at having my way with her. Her blood must be the sweetest, but then again, it has it be if she's the slayer. Spike's thoughts wander as he sits arms behind his head, ankles crossed on the floor, not noticing someone else in the room.

"We have GOT to stop meeting like this." Angel calmly interjects as Spikes thoughts of Buffy were rapidly becoming thoughts of foreplay. "I'd say it's almost as if it was on purpose."

Spike gives out a shout then a smile. "Jesus Angel, you gave me a bleedn' heart attack! What the 'ell are you doing here? I thought gallivanting in daylight wasn't you sort of thing."

" I had a change of heart." Angel replies. "She's here."

"Ah, the slayer. So you've sensed 'er as well." Spike half heartedly tells Angel, somewhat disappointed, but glad his friend was here. "How's it been with you and Dru?"

" She's dead." As Angel says this, his eyes cast down with a bitter frown. " I've followed her. She killed Dru, Spike. I want her dead."

Spike's smily quickly dies and is replaced with a look of shock. "What? Dru's dead? When? I didn't even know the slayer was in LA." Spike sadly asks Angel. He loved Dru in that brotherly way, she was crazy, but being 'alive' for that long would do something to you. She was almost as old as the first, in his opinion, but a raging beauty.

"The slayer and her watcher were out and about, when Dru decided that she had enough toying with them, and struck the watcher down in a fatal swipe. The slayer didn't take this so well. She fought Dru harder than any slayer I've seen in my life, and she won. Dru's head was cut off, Spike. That's damn dirty, but I know the slayers name, and it will come to great use to us. Her name is Buffy Summers. This is the strongest slayer to come down the line ever. She will be tough to beat, it will take both of us."

Spike looks at Angel, stunned at how much he underestimated the little wench. She killed Dru. He thought her to be invincible. Spike keeps his face expressionless. " I met her today, while I was finishing up with Anya, she got her final assignment before she is completely ex-demon. And if you tell me right, her final assignment is someone by the name of Joyce Summers." Spike says with a grin. " I think I'll have a chat with Anya."

****

ANYA

"What? No way Spike, not in a MILLION years. This is my last assignment, yes, but it doesn't mean that I can bend the rules. I follow what it says on the paper," Anya tells Spike, turning her back to him and crossing her arms. "You know that."

"But Anya, this is important. That little wench killed Dru! What the 'ell do you think I'm gonna do, sit around as she gloats on her shiny throne of skulls?" Spike replies glaring at Anya.

"It's her job Spike, and I realize Dru was important to you, but I have a job to do as well."

"But It's 'er mom, there's only a slight difference, couldn't you just fudge it a bit? I mean, what damage could there really be done anyway? Come on Anya, you owe me."

"You want to know what damage could be done? 100 more years of doing this crack job, living in hell, having every little disrespect possible, humiliation unimaginable, plus, my complexion would be ruined! Demons are very strict about the rules, and if they are broken, punishment can go to the extreme, even if it's a little 'fudge' okay?" Anya tells him angrily, really getting on her nerves.

"ya, oright, I get it." Spike sighs disappointedly. " I guess we'll have to figure something out on our own." Spike starts to walk away.

"And you should really consider stop talking to your self!" Anya calls back to him, annoyed. "Vampires, so egotistical." She mumbles to her self.

Spike walks back down into the basement, making sure to stay out of the direct sunlight, where he meets up with Angel. "You know, I'm really starting to dislike her."

"Hm, couldn't convince her?" Angel asks with a smirk, considering how much he hasn't smiled in days.

" No, she's just about as stubborn as a bloody cow." Spike grumpily implies, as he sits roughly down on a box of math text books. " It's as if we can't get anything we want lately. Why is it so much harder for the life of a rouge vampire? After all Angel, we've been rouges for years, and you're the only one who's gotten any respect." Spike says with his eyes closed, head leaning back against the wall.

"HA! Right. Here's the guy who took the blood he needed, then bashed their head in with a spike as a cover up, already killed two slayers, and hides in a crypt by day, usually, and stalks the streets by night. Now that is a cold blooded killer." Angel looks at Spike and laughs. Spike is smiling, with his hands behind his head, legs sitting up and crossed at the ankles, eyes closed and head back.

"Oh yeah." Spike is glad that his friend is laughing again. He always lightens Angel up, even when losing Dru. Don't get him wrong, he misses Dru, but in away, it's about time. "look, we should sleep, it's not going to be dark for hours, and if we plan to attack with our tanks running on full, we need rest. Then feed. Ha, just like old times 'ey Angel?" Spike calls out to Angel, who was sitting on the floor, back against the wall.

"Ya, like old times."

****


	2. Spike dreams

****

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS.

Just to let you know this is a dream sequence. Enjoy:O)

Keep running, don't look back, pace yourself, don't let her catch up, keep running, don't look back, pace yourself, don't let her catch up, keep-

"William, When did you get so fast?"

"When I became a vampire Lizzy."

"Hm, which was when again?"

I love her laugh, so bright, makes me smile, in that dress, she's beautiful. I hopeshe lasts forever. "Lizzy, I have a question to ask you, since we have become friends, have you ever thought about what it would be like? I mean, to be like me." Why is she looking at me like that? "Lizzy?"

"I… no, I haven't, but William…you know I can't, we shouldn't even be-"

"No, don't let that come between us! We are friends! We have been 2 years! I-"

"William! You're being unfair! (sigh) Do you think I have a choice? It's hard enough to be keeping our friendship from the council, do you think it's easy? I'm a slayer, William, You're a vampire, it's forbidden. We are breaking rules on both sides. Please understand that. I wish more than anyth-"

"Wish what, exactly? To be alone, to leave me alone, with no one else to understand each other? Reveal to all the council members that yes, you are in league with a vampire, and that he lo-……cares about you."

"………William I-"

"No, I realize that it won't happen Elizabeth, so I see in no sense should we carry on like this. And it's Spike now."

"What? Will- Spike, no. I…no. Please, don't say such things. We…It's…look-"

"NO! JUST LEAVE ME IN PEACE ELISABETH!……I……just leave………please…"

"……Spike, please, don't be so diff-"

"GO!"

"………Yes. If you wish. Goodbye, William."

Why? Why did she not want this gift? Huh, if you want to call it a bloody gift. She will be missed, my Elisabeth.

Then Spike woke up, with blood droplets on the cement floor where he fell, and smashed his head on the floor.

" Bloody 'ell. What a way to wake up." Spike declares as he gets up and looks around for Angel, still sleeping. _Elisabeth, I nearly forgot. _He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "Ah, I still don't know why pet, it's hard to understand."

"You should stop talking to yourself, it scares people." Angel pipes in as he picks himself of the floor, and points to Spikes head. "Mind explaining to me as to why your head is a mass of blood?"

"Ah. Right, well I fell and smashed me noggin into the floor. Talk about a rude awakening." Spike wipes the fresh blood with a cloth hanging on a table. " Are you ready for a escapade out into the night, or does sleeping beauty need more rest?"

Angel snorts, "Right, if I'm sleeping beauty, then your some sort of fairy." Spike just laughs and heads for the stairs.

"Comin' milady?"

"Okay, now you are pushing your luck Spike." Angel glares at Spike, and heads up the stairs. Spike looks out through the basement window, " Like so many times before." Then follows Angel up onto the main floor.


	3. Questions

**_I don't own any of these characters accept Doug, now enjoy!_**

**_1 week later._**

Buffy sits down after training for awhile with Jiles, breathing harshly. This totally rocks! A punching bag, throwing knives, a practice dummy, a balance beam, this is so cool! Hey, now that I have time… "Hey Giles, I was wondering, have you ever heard of a vampire named Spike?"

Giles stops what he's doing and looks at Buffy with slight shock. "Yes, why?"

"Well, I guess you could say I bumped in to him the day I met you."

"Ah. Well, he's well known in the council. While I was in training, around your age, he killed a slayer, and few more before her. He's dangerous, Buffy. He also is known to have killed his victims by thrusting a spike into their skulls, hence the nickname, Spike. If you want to look him up in the chronicles, by all means, go ahead. The more you learn about him the better."

"Well I tried but he wasn't in there." Buffy informs Giles, disappointedly.

"Oh, well in the chronicles, he doesn't go by Spike. His surname is William. Buffy? Are you all right?" Giles looks at Buffy and can see the surprise and recognition in her face. There was something up.

"Yeah, sorry, just kinda zoned out for a minute there." I know that name. It's in there somewhere, but I can't seem to remember. Augh, I can tell this will bring on some serious headaches. Then Buffy thought of another question, one of more importance. "Did you know Doug?"

Giles looks down and starts to clean his glasses. "Yes. He was an important member of the council, and very loyal. Straight to the very end. He was a mentor of sorts to me, and the other watchers in training. Very respected. You were lucky to have worked with him, and trust me, I'm sure he was glad that you were his last."

Buffy looks down and flicks off non-existent lint of her pants. "He was great. He was the dad I never had."

"I never did find out who, um, put him to rest." Giles ask Buffy respectably.

"Drusilla." Buffy answers back automatically. " And Angel, her dog."

Giles looks at her and says with regret, "How?"

Buffy glares at him and looks away. "Decapitated, drained, mangled, broken. Shall I go on?"

Giles sighs and walks up to Buffy and kneels, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked, but I needed to know. We need to set a plan to capture and kill the both-"

"At least there is some good news to all of this. We only need one. I killed Drusilla after I found Doug's body. Angel left before I could stake him, but I know he followed me. I can thank Doug for that much, I mean, that I was able to dust a very powerful vampire."

Giles looks at Buffy proudly, "And I shall continue with what he started. The makings of the most powerful slayer since Elizabeth Mestering."

"What?" Buffy looks up at Giles. I know that name too. It's so familiar, but why can't I pin point it? Yeesh, in need of some serious me time. " I mean, who's she?"

"She was your great, great, great, Aunt. Didn't you know?" Buffy just looks at Giles with her jaw open. I never heard of a great, great whatever Auntie who was a slayer, and was the greatest in her line, until me that is. " That's right Buffy, she was the first slayer to ever kill an ancient vampire. This vampire was near to being the first, but not by a few thousand years or so. Your Aunt was very strong, I mean for someone who was a slayer in the 18th century."

"You mean, at least 2 hundred years ago? Whoa, now that does make me feel important."

"Look, we should get back to practise, you caught your breath ages ago. Then I can help you find the chronicles for that information on Spike, er, William."

"Yeah, whatever." That name again, William, why does it stick into my brain like a sore thumb? God, I have to call Willow when I get home, She'll help me out.

LATER"(ring ring, ring ring.) Hello?"

"Hey Willow, it's Buffy. I have to get you to help me. I-"

"Um, Buffy, sorry but now isn't such a great time. Xander is over and we-"

"Oh. Well it's okay, I understand. I'll talk to you later."

"Thanks a bunch, I'll call back okay? Bye"

"Yeah, bye." As Buffy hung up the phone, there was a rustling noise outside her window. Buffy picks up a stake, being prepared like she is, and edges her way to the window. It's probably just a cat. "What the hell is that?" Buffy looks out onto the front lawn, and sees a Vengeance demon, but she doesn't know that, walk out from a bush just as her face was taking a human form. Then she goes up to the walkway, and starts to make her way to the door. "I'll bet anything that mom would let that thing in here." Buffy bolts down the stairs and reaches the bottem just as the doorbell rings. " I GOT IT!" she calls out to Joyce. Buffy opens the door and looks up to a girl about her age, supposedly, and she's rather pretty. The girl is wearing a navey blue mini skirt, with a navey blue overcoat, and a white under shirt. There was no way that this was a normal business woman. " Can I help you?" Buffy asks as she eyes her up.

"Maybe. I'm looking for a woman by the name of Joyce Summers? It's about her art work. I'm a dealer and I'm very impressed by her work, I'd appreciate it if I could have a chat with her."

"At 11:00 at night?"

"I'm a very busy woman."

Buffy looks at her, wondering if she could trust this…..thing, and she didn't even know what it was. Maybe if she stayed in the room with her mom and the woman, it would be okay. I mean, if it really was for her mom's art work, she couldn't turn this person thingy away. " Whatever. Come on in, Miss..?"

"Just call me Anyanka, or Anya for short."

"Sure, Anya, she'll only be a sec." Buffy lets 'Anya' inside and leads her to the living room, " Mom, it's an art dealer here to come talk to you." Buffy tells her mom as she walks into the kitchen. "She's in the living room."

"What? Really? This is fantastic! oh Buffy, this is the break I've been waiting for!" Joyce reaches out to hug her daughter.

Buffy pulls away and starts to head over to the living room. " We shouldn't keep her waiting."

Joyce, now a little disappointed, fixes her hair, straightens her shirt, then follows after Buffy into the living room. "Hello, and thank you for coming. I hope it was no trouble." Joyce smiles at the young woman.

"Oh no Mrs. Summers, it wasn't any trouble, none at all." Anya replies with a knowing smile. Yup, she's going to miss this job. But not to much.


	4. Thoughts and battles

Disclaimer: ALL THESE CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME AND BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER RELATED.

SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG! I'VE BEEN REALLY BUSY. I'LL BE UPDATING MOREOFTENNOW.

_CORDILLERA_

_2 Days Later_

_If I ever have to confront that little she witch again, she is going to pay!_

"Hey Riley? Remember me? Your girlfriend? The one person your supposed to fawn and adore over? God, your so out of it." Cordillera interrupts Riley's thoughts.

"Hm? What? Oh, sorry baby, just a little caught up in thinking."

"Well news flash, that's not your best quality." She easily says back, annoyed that Riley isn't putting his full attention on her. "Besides, we have a dance to be thinking about. You know, that little ritual where a girl and guy get crowned? Me being that certain girl, and you being that certain guy. Hey! Your doing it again!"

" Sorry Cordy, I have a lot on my mind at the moment." Then the most brilliant of ideas hit Riley. Oh, this is perfect.

"Sure, like what could you be possibly be thinking about? Wait, do you mean, that…..no, uh-uh, I won't believe it! There simply CAN'T be anyone prettier than Miss popular over here!" Cordillera angrily puts in. " Are you dumping me? No way, Cordillera doesn't get dumped, she does the dumping! Riley, your being unfair! Who is she? I have a right to know!" Cordillera huffs out, near to tears because she'll probably get a pimple for this. "TELL ME!"

_This is the perfect plan. I wonder why I didn't think of it sooner._ " Look, it's that new girl, she has my attention alright, did you see that dress she was wearing today? Mmm-mmm, that is some serious candy."_ If that doesn't get her engines blowing I don't know what will._

" WHAT! No way am I going to believe this. Where is she! I'm going to rip her eyes out! Or worse! Ruin her chance of ever being popular in Sunnydale High! She is finished! She made me lose the best candidate for prom king! What is her name?"

Riley smile for a better effect, as he watches Buffy walk by with her 2 nerd pals, and puts a dreamy look on his face and stares right at her. " Buffy Summers."

Cordillera sees that he is looking past her and sees Buffy dead on. " HER! You think that…. that THING is better than the hottest piece of candy you'll ever have! Your out of your mind Riley!"

"Yeah. I guess I am, for her that is." _meh, just for good measure_.

"WHAT! AUGH!" And Cordillera stomps away, looking for Harmony._ We have some serious gossip to stir up about that stupid blonde hooch. We need to find something about her and push it to the extreme with untruthfulness, that even the principal will look at her in disgust. Oh, she will pay for making her lose her best chance for a potential Prom king. Stupid Hooch._

_BUFFY_

"Woah, who was that?" Buffy asks, stifling a laugh. " I mean, that girl looks like a MAJOR drama queen."

"Well, you couldn't be more right. That was Cordillera, she's been going out with Riley for a while. Perfect for each other if ya ask me." Xander calmly replies. " I guess you could say, snobs draw toward each other in such away, that people are drawn to there awesome popularity ways!" Xander dramatically wails out, while he grabs Willow and twirls her around.

"Xander! Put me down! People are looking at us!" Willow manages to say in between laughs. Reluctantly, Xander obeys. "And Xander is right too. Cordillera is the most popular girl in school. You get in her bad books, and bye-bye social life. Riley is basically for show though. If she doesn't get crowned Prom Queen, she'll burn the school down." Willow giggles and pokes Xander. " Stop it."

Buffy smiles at the couple._ They are so cute together._ _I'm glad that they are my friends._ " Huh, well I guess she's superior and all, but Riley? I mean, she could do better than that."

"Well, he's the best looken guy in school, so in other words, it's a responsibility that they are together." Xander replies, smiling. "Besides, she keeps her toy in good measure, and the rest of us worthy students can relax in complete harmony, well, most of the time."

They all laugh at that.

_She's so beautiful when she laughs._ Spike looks out onto the school yard, watching Buffy and her friends laugh at something that the boy said. He's in the bell tower above the school, deep in the shadows, so he won't get burned. Pity she has to die sooner or later. Hm, hopefully sooner. "So Angel, what do you propose that we do? We haven't been able to track her down these past few days, and we can't leave this bloody place when she does. I'm stuck. If we are to kill her-"_nd_

"And we will,"

"Yes, we will, but when? How? She's harder to find than the queen in a beehive. This one is harder, cunning. Just like her Aunt Liz- I mean, Elizabeth." Spike clears his throat and looks away from Angel._ Bloody hell Spike. Watch your mouth around the bloke._ "She's strong too. I can barley stand to be in her aura it's so strong. This will be harder than Emily." Spike looks back at Angel. Angel isn't even looking at him, he's looking at another girl across the school yard. She's very angry and can be heard even from the bell tower, without even using their keen hearing.

"Maybe we aren't so lost after all, Spike." Angel lightly says. Pointing at the girl. From what I'm hearing, that girl can help us. She is keen on destroying any chances of our slayer having a social life at the school. Maybe we can convince her to do more?" Angel looks at Spike with a small hint of an idea in his eye. Spike walks over to Angel, careful to avoid the sunlight, and looks out at the girl. She was pretty, but not like the slayer. Not at all.

"No." was all Spike said.

"Why?" Angel asks puzzlingly. He thought that Spike would jump at the idea. Manipulation was one of his specialties.

"She's too annoying, from what she sounds like. Complains, whines, yells, shouts. She is too dramatic and cares too much about herself. It wouldn't work." Spike puts in calmly. Angel nods his head, but only half-heartedly.

" I suppose your right. She will do her own damage. Nice little package though, don't you think?"No. "Sure, if your into those type Angel, which I sincerely doubt that she is."

"Are you sure that it won't work?" Angel tries one more time, already knowing the answer.

"Ha, You can bet your life on it, but then again, that would be cheating." Spike puts in with a smile as he goes back to his perch, watching the Slayer with Angel's laughter in the background._ I wonder what it would be like to be down there, with all those people and not feel hungry for them. Slayers have it easy these days. It's not that often that you can have a normal life and fight the 'FORCES OF DARKNESS ' too. Bloody 'ell, I need a drink. Her Beauty is exactly like Lizzy's……_

"Spike? SPIKE?" Angel waves his hand in front of Spike's face.

"Hm? Oh, what?"

"I asked you if we should go in now before the people start to file into the school."

"Oh, yeh, we should. That wretched bell will ring soon, we should go." Angel nods and starts to head down the stairs. Spike starts to follow, but looks one more time down at Buffy. So beautiful…

Buffy looks up at the bell tower sensing that she was being watched, but saw nothing. Okay, I have seriously got to stop being so jumpy. "Hey guys? I have to go to my locker for a sec, I need to get my book bag."

"Oh, okay Buffy, but hurray back, and we can all play Pocket Rocket." Willow smiles and nods at Buffy and Xander.

"What is Pocket Rocket?" Buffy asks with one eyebrow raised.

"oh ho ho! You have much to learn young one. You shall see when you return…" Xander circles Buffy and hunches over and lowers his voice as he says this, waggling his fingers at her. Buffy pushes Xander away and laughs.

"Creep. I'll be right back."

"Okay," Xander says in between a laughs along with Willow.

Buffy walks away smiling as she walks up the steps and into the school. "Man, it's kinda dark in here." She claims as she walks down the hallway. Then Buffy suddenly stops, and lowers her head. "You."

"Me." Spike whispers as he steps away from the wall, where he was watching her. "I was hoping that you'd be a little more happy to see me Pet." Spike smiles at her. "Considering how well our first little get together went."

Buffy turns around slowly and looks up at Spike._ CRAP! MY STAKE IS IN MY BOOK BAG! "_Well, if you don't mind telling me your name, then maybe we could work out our little predicament, seeing how we're such good friends." Buffy Sarcastically drawls.

Spike smiles from the corner of his mouth. " Spike."

"Buffy." Then she punches him, and spin kicks him in the stomach. Spike stumbles away with his head turned to the side, blood making a thin line down his chin. Spike turns his head toward Buffy, now in a fighting stance, and licks the blood from his split lip.

" Ow." then he punches Buffy, but she ducks and grabs his arm and flips him, cracking his back, which instantly healed. Buffy kicks him in the ribs, but Spike rolls away, and grabs her foot, tripping her. Buffy falls back and lands hard, snapping her head back, but she recovers and kicks Spikes hand and back-shoulder rolls away. They both very slowly get up.

" huh, not bad for a sprite such as your self love." Spike tells Buffy, quite sincere. "Just hope it will last."

"Well, I guess you won't be too worried then." Buffy retorts as she runs and tackles him, gaining a position on top, and is about to punch is face in, when he flips he over on to her back, pinning her hands down. Buffy regains her breathing from hitting the ground wrong, and stares at Spike, trying to wriggle free. "Your stronger than most." Buffy tells Spike, as she looks up at him. _God, his eyes are so blue._

_"_Well I guess you could say that I've had experience from your line, Slayer."_ Christ, __why am I bantering and not finishing her off? Snap out of it!_ But as Spike was thinking this Buffy knee's him, and punches him off, wishing more than anything that she had a stake. Then the bell rang, and Buffy just looks at Spike as he gets up, rubbing his cheek, and he looks back at her. " Until another time slayer, you won't be so lucky." Then he runs down the hall, and around the corner, just as people start to come through the doors

_Saved by the bell. How very ironic._ And Buffy walks to her locker, and gets her book bag._ Just a normal day in the neighborhood, after all._


	5. Spike Dreams Again

OKAY GUYS, THIS IS A SHORT CHAPTER. ENJOY!

Disclaimer: ALL THESE CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME AND ANYTHING BUFFY VAMPIRE SLAYER RELATED.

**SPIKE**

_Spike lays back his head against the cool cement wall, and closes his eyes._

_"Where did you go, looks like you ran into a door."_

_"Close enough. I had an encounter with the Slayer when I was coming from the science lab. She's feisty." Spike smiles, remembering the look on her face when he got on top of her. "And fit."_

_"Well, I guess, I will go now. I have someone to meet down town."_

_"And how do you suppose of doing that in broad daylight?" Spike asks questioningly._

_"Oh, the magic's of fire blankets." Angel replies, wrapping himself in a fire blanket. "Do I look dashing?" Angel asks jokingly._

_"Irresistible." Spike responds laughing at how odd he looks._

_"Well now, I suppose I should leave now, and meet up with you at your crypt tonight?"_

_"Fine, just stay away from my bloody liquor. It took me forever to get the money to bye all that. Got it?"_

_"Yes Captain!" Angel brings his hand up and salutes Spike._

_"Get out of here!" Spike laughs. Angel leaves, giving Spike the time to think alone in the basement, about what happened this afternoon. Soon, he drifts off to sleep."William? What are you-"_

_"Look, you need to get out of here Elizabeth, quickly, gather your things, and-"_

_"What? William, what's going on? I thought you weren't speaking to me. William, stop, tell me, what's-"_

_"No, there isn't time for that, you need to get out of here. They're coming here, they're-"_

_"William, who?"_

_"Elizabeth, please, just gather your things I'll explain on the way."_

_"……Okay, but I still don't understand."_

_"Trust me. You have before."_

_"………Fine. But where are we going?"_

_"To my crypt. They're coming for you. They found out."_

_"What? Who found out?"_

_"Angel and Drusilla. They found out."_

_"……Right, where are my bags?"_

_SMASH!_

_"OH ELIZABETH! WHY DON'T YOU COME OUT AND PLAY!"_

_" No boy, Angel, I want to play with The Slayer!"_

_"(sharp intake of breath) No. They're already here."_

_"William, I-"_

_"No, Elizabeth, just run! Climb out the window! I'm right behind you!"_

_"OH SPIKEY! LET US PLAY WITH HER, SHE'S A BAD SLAYER, DARLA'S DEAD, BAD PUP!"_

_(Running)_

_"William, where are we running? They know where your crypt is. William?"_

_"Elizabeth, I…Don't know. We have to keep going."_

_"William I have to tell you something. I really wanted to be with you, but I couldn't and I what I'm saying is that I lo- (gasp)"_

_"Well Well, look what I've caught, your being naughty Spike, running with her, it's not nice making us chase for our food."_

_"Angel. Drusilla."_

_"Spikey, can I have first bite? Please, I promise to keep her alive long enough for you."_

_"Yes, I like that idea 'Spikey' you should let Dru have first bite."_

_"NO!"_

_"William, I-can't-breath!"_

_"Angel, let her go, I'll do it. I'll kill her, but please, just put her down."_

_"Hm, you always were a soft heart Spike, if it was still beating that is."_

_"(cough cough cough)"_

_(Elizabeth gets up and walks over to William.)_

_"(whispering) William, I know you have to. I'm just glad it was you and not one of them."_

_"I know, Pet. Close your eyes, this will hurt only a little."_

_"(gasp)…auuh………William?……I…I Love you."_

_(a single tear slips down his cheek)_

Spike's eyes snap open. He is Breathing hard from dreaming the long forgotten memory. And tears, stream down his face in a thin line of blood.


	6. A regular day in the neighborhood

**_SORRY! SHORT CHAPTER!_**

**disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.**

**ANGEL**

Angel leaves the basement with great haste to the sewer, and travels along the pipe lines till he gets underneath an old factory. He climbs up the ladder leading to a trap door and opens it, cautiously coming through the door and standing up.

"I thought you weren't going to come to me, Angel my pup." A voice calls out to him. Angel turns around, and walks up to Drusilla, smiling. " I was lonely."

"No, Dru. Of course I would come to you. You're my Dru, and nobody else's." Angel says as he walks up to her and starts to twirl her in a dance.

"Did you see Spikey? Was he surprised to see you? Did he see?"

"He bought every single word Dru. Before long, he will be dead for what he did. No worries my love." Angel smiles at Dru. Dru really loves that smile. It makes her feel fuzzy inside.

"No no, my pet, we must play with him. He has wronged us…..he is beginning to remember too. He will sting us once more…..all our planning….." Angel dips her, " Wasted." He brings her back up, " And then he will realize what we want to do, he will bite at a few certain 'friends'" Dru smiles. "He is easy to toy with, after all, he believes me to be dead…..how foolish can he be?"

Angel smiles down at Dru once more. " More foolish than you think." and they laugh, because Spike won't know what hit him,and sowill the slayer.

**SPIKE**

Spike gets up and wipes the blood from his cheeks. _Oh god……Lizzy……I…I fergot_. Spike gets up, and then a flash of anger cuts through him like steel. _Angel……what are you up to…you were mad as hell at me, and Dru……it's not just her death that brought him to me. I need to be careful._ As he lifts his head, the bell rings. Then an idea pulls him toward the basement door, up the stairs, and through the locked door, into the hallway. Spike perches himself against the wall, just as Buffy comes around the corner with Willow. _The Slayer. She looks so much like her……hmmm……could it be possible? Bugger, I need to do some research._ Suddenly Buffy looks over at Spike, and locks eyes. She just stares at him, and then gets a puzzled look on her face. Spike smiles, and tips his head in her direction. Buffy scowls, and turns her head toward Willow, gets up, and walks toward Spike.

"You know, I never knew it could be so hard just trying to be a normal teenager. I have so much homework, I have an emotional gap with my mother, I have the lowest social rating because of some Cordillera chick, and, I have to beat up vampires and demons so I can save the world. Now it would be a big help if you just told me straight out why your still in a school. You've been here for three days, and trust me, it's not just easy pickings." Buffy gets out quickly when she gets to Spike. He can't help but laugh. She is so full of it.

"You caught me, it's all because I want to be with you, is that what your hoping to hear?" Spike smiles at her reaction. Buffy's eyebrows go up, and she leans back slightly, then glares and leans back in.

" Frankly, it would make my job easier." She retorts, very ticked she can't stake this vampire. Then Buffy puts her hand over Spike's heart, and pushes slightly, so he can feel the sharp point of her stake. "But I guess it's not so hard once you get the hang of it."

Spike, stops smiling, knowing what kind of danger he is in right now, he moves slightly, and the stake pierces his skin. He stops moving, as Buffy, moves with Spike, point still over his heart. "Ya know Pet, does fair fight at all come into that thick skull of yours?"

"Ha, like I'd give you that advantage. Fortunately for you, I can't do anything at the moment, and neither can you. I suggest that when I move away you disappear, and not show your pretty face around here again. Other wise…" Buffy pushes her hand against Spike's chest more, once again piercing the skin. " I won't be so generous."

Spike looks down at Buffy, memorizing every feature, every line of her face, then nods. Buffy takes he hand down, but keeps it to the side and ready for quick stake removal, and steps back. "Good."

Spike straightens his jacket, and runs a hand through his hair, and sighs. Then he looks back at Buffy, smiles slightly, and gives her a deep bow. " I'll be seeing you later Slayer, we can continue where we left off." Then he turns on his heel, and goes back down the basement door with his true face, snarling angrily.

**BUFFY**

Buffy smiles at her small victory against Spike, and walks back to Willow, in a cheerful mood. "See? What did I tell you, He doesn't know when to leave." Then Buffy laughs, somewhat guilty of her little lie to Willow.

"That's really sweet Buffy. You've only been her for a week and a half, and already, you have a boyfriend!" Willow practically squeals at Buffy. "What did he say?"

"Oh, just that I caught him being here, and that he was only here to be with me." Well he did say that. Buffy was a little surprised at the coincidence.

"AWWW!" Willow chirps.

"What's so aw?" Xander asks as he sits down and takes Willow's hand.

"Oh Xander! Buffy has a boyfriend!" Willow smiles crazily at Xander. He likes her smile. "His name is Spike, and he came to Sunnydale High just to be with her, and it's so adorable!"

"Really? Well Buff, why didn't you mention this before?" Xander asks questioningly, raising his eyebrow at Buffy dramatically. " Have you been keeping secrets from us?" Willow laughs and pushes Xander.

"Everybody has their little secrets Xander." Willow chimes in, having a giggle fit, " Like how your mom stopped calling you her Pumpkin Boy only last year." Than she bursts into laughter, Buffy as well, as Xander glares at Willow.

" Well, your mom calls you Bumble Bunny, still." Buffy, stops laughing, and looks at Willow. Willow stops laughing and looks at Xander, who is smiling smugly. Then they all look around and begin laughing in perfect unison.

Later that night, when Buffy goes home, once again, Anya is there. Oh great. "Hey mom! I'm home!" Buffy walks over to the stairs when a burst of laughter stops her. Buffy goes toward the living room and stops and looks around. Papers were every where, there wasn't anywhere else to sit, besides small spots on the floor, and Joyce and Anya had their sleeves rolled up, pencils above their ears, and were discussing wildly and laughing. "Mom?" Buffy asks, glancing at Anya and crossing her arms.

"Oh, hello Buffy, we were just planning how my gallery was going to be like, it will be great!" Joyce tells Buffy, with a huge smile. "It's going to be fantastic, we'll bring have antiques brought from all over the world, Africa, Asia, Japan, Italy, oh a I can't wait."

"Your mom is very excited. I'm helping her with her finances and shipping papers. Also we're looking at places to put the gallery, it will be great!" Anya puts in, also smiling. Anya really likes this last assignment, she really is starting to enjoy her self, Joyce is so pleasant.

"Right, well , I'm going up to my room. Please try to control your cackling, I have some home work. Good night." Buffy leaves, and walks up the stairs, a little pissed, and goes to her room. Joyce sighs.

"I thought she'd be excited. She never is happy for me anymore. It's like she's killing me slowly Anya. Sometimes, I wish she would just stop before she hurt the ones that care about her."

Anya smiles. _I grant your wish, Joyce Summers, for the price of being your partner_. " I'm sure she'll come around, after all, teenagers have mood swings, you'll see." _Okay Anya, LAME! Teenagers have mood swings? Oh come on…_Joyce glances up, smiles and nods. " Yeah, your probably right. Okay, so we have the place picked out, the service charge for the transportation ready, the…" But Anya wasn't listening, she was concentrating on the girl upstairs, focusing her energy on her, and granting Joyce Summers wish. _Well Spike, I guess you could have your wish too after all._

**Riley**

_YES! IT WORKED! Now her only 'friends' will be Willow and Xander. Eww... so gross... butit's not enough...I'll think of something later.Now about getting Cordillera back. _Riley thinks to himself has he walks up to the factory_. I hope she will have me back...I guess IDID go a little over board_.

"More foolish than you think." (laughter)

_Who said that? _Riley takes a deep breath. " Hello? Whoes there?" Riley cautiously steps into the factory.

"OH Angel! Look! Look at the young blood who wants to play!" Dru says when she spots Riley through the darkness.

"Hm, are you hungrey darling?"Angel coos at Dru. Riley looks around, moves in a circle, then suddenly he's tied up and in the middle of the floor.

_What the Hell? "_Hello? Who are you?" Riley calls out once more, hearing, but not seeing, the people. " Hey man, this isn't funny, come on, get a grip and show yourself!" Riley trys to say with anaffermative voice, failing.

"He's scared my pet, scared like a dog. Filthy animal." Dru looks at Angel and pouts. " I don't like this game anymore."Dru looks back at Riley who's looking around frantically. Dru sighs."Kill him." Riley's eyes open wide. Dru liked that reaction.

"What? Hey, stop screwing around, this ain't funny man!"

Angel smiles and grasps Dru's hand. " Darling, I smell the slayer on him...mayhap he can be used to our advantage?" Dru looks up at Angel and thinks, tapping her finger on her chin, and then looks down at Riley once more. She shrugs,"Why not?"

"Slayer? What slayer? What the hell are you talking about? Hello? This ain't funny you jack-"Angel,jumps down to land right in front of Riley's face, stopping him in mid sentance.

"You don't swear infront of a lady." Then Dru is right beside Angel, lacingher armson his shoulder. " It's rude." Then Angel and Dru release thier true faces, and lean down lower, making riley feel something warm running down his leg as Angel unties him andlifts him off the floor. " What...what are you?" Riley looks over the lines of his face and wants to look away, but can't.

"Your wost nightmare." Then Angel growls and holds Riley's wrist out, while Dru slowly makes a line through it. Riley screams out in pain. Then Angel holds out is own wrist, and Dru also cuts it slowly, but Angel just closes his eyes and smiles, enjoying the pain. Angel holds his wrist to Riley's and Dru ties a scarf around the two wrists. But Riley donsen't see this, because he is unconcience. Angel stands there, holding Riley, for a full 2 minutes. " Untie it." Angel tells Dru, and she obeys.

"I blood bond you to me, Riley. I shall see what you see, hear what you hear, smell what you smell, taste what you taste, and feel what you touch. You shall come when summoned, and obey my every command. You are my slave." Riley slightly moves, as a sign of being awake, and looks up at the man who's voice was in his head. He looks up at Angel. Angel lets him go, and immediatly, Riley crumbles to the floor in a kneel, hands in front of him, head bent.

" Yes, Master."


	7. Into The Rabbit Hole

Disclaimer: ALL THESE CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME AND ANYTHING BUFFY VAMPIRE SLAYER RELATED.

****

ONLINE

The Little Willow tree says: **_Hey Buffs! Guess what? It's my Birthday next week! And ur invited! ;-)_**

My Addiction says: _REALLY! Aww coolio! I have to get u the best present ever:-D!_

The Little Willow tree says:** _and Xander is coming, but that's all. It'll be nice to have someone else this year too. does a little dance_**

My Addiction says: _You guys are the best friends I could ever have. I wouldn't want it any other way! Oh! That reminds me, I need to tell you guys something k? but you both have to be there…or ELSE! Lol_

The Little Willow tree says: **_lol, okay, I'll tell Xander, is it really that important?_**

My Addiction says: _Trust me, you'll be surprised…and when better to tell you than on ur birthday! (smiles a sneaky smile)_

YOU'VE GOT MAIL

My Addiction says: _can you hold on? I've got some mail._

The Little Willow tree says: **_Sure._**

Buffy clicks on to the e-mail, and is shocked to what it says.

Buffy:

I have some information here that you would find intersting. I need you to come to the magic shop pronto. It's about your Aunt Elizabeth and William the bloody. Please come as quickly as you can.

Jiles

Buffy stares at the screen, wondering what was wrong.

My Addiction says: _Hey Willow? I need to go, talk to you later?_

The Little Willow tree says:**_ oh, okay. See you tomorrow then. Bye!_**

My Addiction says: _Yeah, really sorry! BUH-BYE!_

At the Magic Shop.

"So Jiles, what's so important about my dead Aunt, that you just had to-" Then Buffy just can't finish the sentence. _Odd. _Buffy looks at Jiles and smiles. " Well?"

Jiles looks over at Buffy and hands her a book. "Read." And he points to the top of the page. Buffy's eyes widen.

__

The History of William the Bloody and Elizabeth Summers:

William The Bloody and Elizabeth Summers were enemies. They were sworn to fight each other, but ended up as lovers. William the Bloody, a vampire, and Elizabeth Summers, a Slayer. When The council went to find Elizabeth to terminate her, she was not found, and her window broken. She was assumed dead and her body was never found, but as the council gave up, her grave was found by a crypt, which was empty. This crypt was understood to be William the Bloody's nesting spot for the day, but it was never confirmed. November 22nd marks the day of her death. Her life was a useful one, but an indiscretion. She shamed us, and we all hope that in future this won't happen again. Countess Elizabeth Constance Summers was the first slayer to ever commit such a crime against her line, and hopefully will be the only one to do so. William the Bloody has not been seen since and is presumed dead.

Buffy looks up at Jiles. "She…she was his lover?" She barley gasps out. Jiles just nods his head. "How, how could she? She's a slayer! Slayers don't sleep with the enemy!" She slams the book shut and gets up. " Look, is this all you brought me here for?" She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. Jiles looks up at Buffy and nods.

"One more thing." He gives her a small note. " I didn't read it. It's from someone name Riley?"

Buffy looks at it with a snarl. "That's just what I need right now. A little pep talk from a macho man who hates my guts. Thanks, but no thanks. Keep it." With that Buffy starts to walk toward the door. " Can we train tomorrow? I'm feeling tired."

" Of course."

"Thanks Jiles. See you." and she left, stuck to think about what she just read. Then she went off toward the graveyard. To find the certain crypt where her Aunt was buried beside. She needed to see. As Buffy gets closer she doesn't realize that someone is watching her, with puzzled blue eyes, bleached hair, and a leather jacket. She turns a corner and is there. She didn't even know how she knew they way there. Buffy stares at the tomb stone with cold eyes. _Why? How could she?_

_ Elizabeth Constance Summers_

In loving memory we Pray

A Sister, A Mother,A Wife

REST IN PEACE

Buffy noticed that there were fresh flowers by it. " She was a wife and she just had to fool around behind his back with a stinken vampire, of all people." she grumbles under her breath.

"Actually, he died before she met me." Spike said as he stepped from the shadows.

Buffy doesn't even move. "Why?" she asks through clenched teeth. Surprised she'sjust talking and not acting.

"What do you mean why? You must of figured it out by now, obviously you would have if you came here." Spike responds, keeping a calm, straight face.

"SHE HAD CHILDREN! WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU JUST FIGHT HER INSTEAD OF GETTING WITH HER!" Buffy yells as she turns around and glares at him, full force. "AND FOR THAT MATTER, WHY DID YOU KILL HER!"

Spike looks at her, with a very hard look. " Do you think I had a choice? Do you think I would have killed her if my group hadn't known? I killed her for HER sake, other wise it would have been a much more agonizing death missy. Who do you think dug her grave, paid for that tomb stone, and made sure that she got what little respect she deserved? That's right pet, ME." Spike finished pointing at himself. This left Buffy in shock. _HE did all that?_

"What? Why? You're a vampire, you can't have these fe-"

"Don't underestimate your enemy Pet, There is a lot more to them that you don't know." He interrupts her, calmly eyes casting down. " And if your wondering why I did all of this, it wasn't for her pride, or children, or family." He pauses and looks Buffy right in the eye, who by now has stepped down from her position of authority, and was just listening. " It was because I loved her."


	8. Like the Three Muskateers

_I DON'T OWN ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS_

**DISCOVERED**

Buffy looks at Spike, tears in her eyes. " But you can't love." She walks right up to him, " If you loved her than you could've given her the respect she deserved and not hung around. She was my Aunt, and when I found out about her, I looked up to her. But now, when I find out that she was gallivanting with the enemy doing god only knows! How can I believe you when your supposed to kill her? For all I know you could be lying through your teeth! Do you think this is easy, having to defend people that you don't even know? I was expelled from my last school because I set fire to a gym that was filled with leeches like you!" As Buffy was saying this she was getting closer and closer to Spike, until finally they were almost nose to nose.

Spike took in a deep breath of her scent. _Smells just like Lizzy. _Buffy glares at him, shaking with fury from everything that has happened. She looks into those deep sea blue eyes, and she stops glaring. _He…He's crying. _She takes a step back, and he turns his head, a small tear running down his cheek.

DAMN HER! She's everything Lizzy was…it's almost as if she's finally realising her anger of me after all these years. Finally he looks up at her, not ashamed for her to see his blood red tears. "You know, you look a lot like her." Then he closes the distance between them and embraces her with a crushing kiss. Buffy is shocked, and tries to pull away, but he keeps hold of her until she relaxes and the kiss softens, their tears mingling. Spike pulls away and looks at Buffy. She looks at Spike.

They are both shocked. " I…I…" But Buffy didn't give him a chance to form a sentence, she knees his gut and pushes him off, making him lose his balance. Spike falls to the ground and watches Buffy run away. _What the hell am I doing? I can't let this happen again. _He slowly gets up, rubbing his chest, Buffy now a little dot. He turns around and walks toward the school, an idea forming in his head. But what Spike didn't know as he was walking away, that someone was watching the little display. Following him from the time he left the school till now, getting all the information he need for his Master.

Master will be pleased, he will like me better, he will enjoy this news. This kind of news always makes him happy, he doesn't hurt me then, he doesn't bite me, yes, he will be pleased. Riley thinks to himself as he walks in the opposite direction toward the old factory._ He'll be happy to know that it's finally starting again…poor little insolent Spike, he has no idea. _He snickers to himself. Suddenly a thought that wasn't his crashed into his head, making it hurt. Riley screams out in pain. " MASTER!"

Riley thinks to himself as he walks in the opposite direction toward the old factory.He snickers to himself. Suddenly a thought that wasn't his crashed into his head, making it hurt. Riley screams out in pain. " MASTER!"

No need to come my puppet, I have seen everything for myself. Your free to do what you like tonight. You have done well. Then it was gone, and so was the pain. The only proof that there was anything there at all was a mild headache. Riley straightens and rubs his temples, smiling to himself. _So, Buffy is the slayer as well…I could have some fun with this._ His smile gets bigger as he starts to walk down the road again, now heading for the Bronze. He whistles a merry tune.

Then it was gone, and so was the pain. The only proof that there was anything there at all was a mild headache. Riley straightens and rubs his temples, smiling to himself. His smile gets bigger as he starts to walk down the road again, now heading for the Bronze. He whistles a merry tune.****

THE BRONZE

Buffy gets closer to a the music, not really knowing where she was, but then she sees a sign.

WELCOME TO THE BRONZE: **ages 16 and older. ID required. **She stops and then Willow bumps into her.

"Oh sorr- BUFFY! What are you doing here? I didn't know that you knew about the Bronze!"

Willow says to Buffy excitedly.

"Actually, I didn't. I was just walking around after my talk with Jiles, guess I found my way here." She responds, checking her cheeks with her hands for any trace of tears. " Can, we go inside? I'm a little cold."

"Of course, Xander will be here in an hour or so. Come on, I'll show you around, it's the only place worth going to in Sunnydale." They both laugh.

"Well, here it is! The Only place to party in all of Sunnydale. I come here every Friday with Xander. I don't know why I never thought to tell you! I'm sorry!" Willow realized and cooed to Buffy.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I know now, right?"

"Hm, right." They walk in and the music blaring, the people shouting and dancing, and the smells of liquor and sweat mingle and are thrust toward Buffy and Willow.

"Wow…this place is great!" Buffy exclaims, giving Willow a genuine smile. " It reminds me of this awesome place I used to go to in LA. It was basically like this!" Buffy shouts over the music and uses her arms to emphasize her meaning. " Oh lets dance!" She grabs Willow's hand, completely forgetting Spike, Joyce, her Aunt, and everything else. She was finally relaxed, calm, and having fun.

****

Later

After hours of dancing, laughing, singing along, and having a good time, Buffy finally left with Willow and Xander. " Ah, thanks guys. Trust me when I say that I really needed that." They laugh and continue to walk down the street in silence afterwards. _Hey, now is a better time than any. _Buffy thinks to her self. She turns around and faces her two friends. " Okay, I'm going to tell you guys something, but I need you to believe me and to trust me okay? This is important, and don't laugh either." She says looking at Xander.

" Okay, well what?" He prompts Buffy.

Buffy takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, and lets the breath out. " I-"

"Your Pregnant!" Xander exclaims.

"WHAT! No! Xander!" Buffy glares at him while Willow contains a giggle.

"Okay, sorry Buffy, go on."

" What I was going to say was that…that I….slay….vampires?" Her face scrunches up not wanting to really see their reaction. When she doesn't hear anything she opens an eye, then slowly the other one. " Did you hear me?" She asks.

"Are you serious?" They both look down on her with a very serious look.

"Well…yeah….you don't believe me?" She asks, her face falling.

"NO! Oh no, the opposite really." Willow smiles at Xander and he smiles back. They both nod. Buffy just looks at them puzzled.

"What?" She asks.

Willow looks back at Buffy and smiles even more. " We were going to tell you on my birthday but I guess we could tell you now. We already knew that vampires are real. Me and Xander were walking down this street when a guy came out of no where and asked for a light. We said no, and then his faced changed and attacked Xander." She pauses, looking at him.

"Did he bite you?" Buffy asks with real concern, but also starting to back away a little.

"No, this is what we wanted to tell you. I have powers. That's how we stopped him. I used my powers." Buffy is almost sick with relief. " I'm a witch, and so is Xander."

"HEY! Warlock? Heelllooo?"

Willow laughs. " He's just a rookie though, that's why were are so good with each other. I've known since I was a kid."

Buffy smiles at the couple, now with a smile on her face as well. "Huh, it's no wonder I was drawn to you guys, you are more or less on the same side as me."

"yup, I guess that makes us like the Three Musketeers! En Guard!" Xander claims and thrust out an imaginary sword. They all laugh, and in perfect unison they all say, "ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL!" and continue to laugh and walk down the street.


	9. What Goes Around Comes Around

_I don't own any of these characters. _

**SHORT CHAPTER! SORRY! I HAVEN'T HAD ANY TIME!**

**Home**

Buffy walks into her house with a very large smile on her face, and is even humming, when she bumps into Joyce. "Hey honey. My my, aren't we the cheerful one. May I ask why?" Joyce asks Buffy with a smile.

"I just have some really cool friends, that's all." Buffy keeps humming and walks into the kitchen…and there was Riley sitting at her counter. She stops dead in her tracks and slowly backs out of the kitchen and back to Joyce. " Uh, mom? What is he doing here?" She asks frantically.

"Did you forget? He's your history tutor, and you had a session today." Then she walks right into the Kitchen . " Hey, she's here now. Go on up to your room Buffy, it'll be fine, I can send up some coke if you want?" Joyce smiles, and Buffy frowns.

"ah no mom, we'll be fine. Come on." Then she grabs him and propels him up the stairs.

"Thanks for the offer Mrs. S" Riley calls back with a smirk.

" Keep it to yourself." Buffy tells him as they reach her door. She practically throws him inside her room, and slams the door. " Okay, What the hell do you want?" Buffy glares at Riley, arms crossed.

"Well, I just thought we could study for the history test we have, considering we are in the same class and all, and I was hoping to-"

"Cut the crap. Why are you here." She takes a step toward him, ready to do battle if necessary. Riley strolls around her room picking up little things, and inspecting them.

" If you really must know, then I came to warn you about your little friend Spike." He glances at Buffy, seeing her reaction.

He eyebrows furrow together. " How do you know Spike?" she asks, a little confused.

Riley smiles. " Lets just say I have my connections. He's dangerous Buffy, I know he's a vampire, I know they exists. I want you to be careful. If you ever need help, I have a friend, his name is Angel." Riley takes out a piece of paper and hands it to Buffy. " He can help you whenever you need it, okay?" He starts to leave her room.

"Wait, why are you helping me?" Buffy finally asks after absorbing in all this. _Oh my god, someone knows, an actual human knows._ "I don't get it, you are a complete dickhead to me, now your mister nice guy, plus you have a 'friend' who is willing to help me. Why?" Buffy asks Riley impatiently.

Riley turns around and whispers in her ear. "Because you're the slayer." and walks out. Buffy's eyes widen in surprise, that Riley, of all people, know what she has to do. Her 'Duty' to the people of Sunnydale. She walks to her bed and sits down. Recalling their conversation, Buffy lays down and slowly, falls into a deep sleep.

"I…I love you."

William…._ was my last thought as my spirit left my body, slipped slowly away from him, suddenly feeling alone and frightened of the unknown. I drifted above myself, the skies beckoning to me…But I couldn't go. I couldn't leave all that was dear to me…I especially couldn't leave William. He has done so much for me, Buffy. He was, and still is, special to me in everyway that your father was special to your mother. Being the slayer is a big responsibility, yes, but…without William to have taught me, to be me friend, my companion, and my…lover, I would not have been so persistent with my duty. I know he was a vampire… but at one point he was a breathing, feeling, and living person. He still has these qualities. Please, I ask you Buffy, to give him a chance…for me. I never had the chance to fulfill my duty, but you can, with the help from William. He is my friend, whatever the laws say, I have and always will, Love him._

Then Buffy woke up with sweat dribbling down her forehead. _What?_ Realization dawned on her the moment she remembered her dream._ She contacted me. She…she wants me to trust him._ Buffy closes her eyes, confused, angry, and frustrated. _I have no idea what to do anymore. _She silently got up from her bed and starts to get ready for bed. As Buffy looks into her mirror, she doesn't see the dark figure lurking at her window, with bleached hair, a black leather jacket and very, blue, eyes.

Spike looks away from Buffy._ Why am I here?_ He looks away, and jumps down from his perch to the ground. _I can't be thinking about her, let alone going to see her. _He sneaks one last look at her window, before slinking down to the sidewalk and up the street.


	10. Memory

Buffy Wakes up to her alarm as usual and slowly makes her way down to the kitchen. " Of all days, it had to be this one that I remembered to set my alarm." She slumps down on to the bottom step, groaning. She looks around, noticing that it was very quiet. Buffy gets up and starts toward the living room, " Mom? You there?" Buffy calls out, then trips. She looks over beside her and sees that it's Anya's foot. " What?" Buffy gets up to find Anya sprawled on the couch, bottle in hand. Buffy carefully takes the bottle from her hand and walks into the kitchen. " A little late ladies." Buffy mumbles to herself, right when Joyce walks into the kitchen.

"Hey honey." Joyce groans and holds her head.

"Hangover?" Buffy asks with a smirk.

"Hangover." Joyce replies with a small nod and smile. " Me and Anya went out for awhile. Hm, I guess a while was to long." Buffy smiles and nods her agreement.

"I'd have to say, I didn't know that your are that kind of party animal." Buffy replies.

Joyce laughs. "You know, I actually met your father at a party. It was new years eve, and god it was fantastic." Joyce looks down at the floor. " He was better then." Buffy looks at her mother with sympathy.

"I know."

Then Dawn came in with a huge smile on her face, and completely dressed.

"Morning!" She says brightly, looking from Buffy to her mom. " Um there is a woman passed out on our couch by the way." Dawn looks into the living room. " I think she's really hammered, or at least, was." Dawn looks back at Joyce, Who's cheeks go a rather dark shade of red. Eyebrows go up. " Oh. Well, I have to study today at Alice's soooo, later!" Dawn grabs her bag and rushes out the door.

" I swear she's taking happy pills." Buffy chimes in and laughs. Joyce giggles a little too. "Well, I should get ready too, I have to go to Willow's and study too." Buffy gives Joyce a kiss on the cheek and rushes upstairs to the bathroom. Buffy thinks with a frown about her dad. '_He was_ _better then' my ass._ Buffy opens the door and turns the water on in the sink, remembering that June night, the night that her mom was nearly killed. She splashes water on her face.

"JOYCE!"

"ye…yes honey?"

"Where were you?"

"Ah, your hurting me, let-"

"WHERE WERE YOU!"

" I…I was with the girls from the museum. We…we went out for a few drinks after work… I didn't think you would have mind, I'm sor-"

"You, were supposed to be here right after work with me, remember?"

"Please, I'm sorry, Ah, your crushing my arm, Please let-"

SMACK, "You were with that guy, weren't you?"

(crying)"No!…I swear I wasn't!…please don't hit me again…please…I promise I wasn't…oh god my arm."

SMACK " YOU LYING COW!" SMACK,"I KNOW YOU WERE WITH THAT MR. JOHNSON!" SMACK, " I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE AROUND HIM EVER AGAIN!" SMACK, (glass breaking)

(Frantic crying) " I Promise I won't, I never was! Please listen to me! I love you! No one else!"

"Is that what you told him?"

"Please! You're the only man I have ever been with! You have to understa-"

"Dad, you get your filthy hands off her you bastard!"

"Don't talk to me like that Buffy. We are having an adult conversation."

"So throwing mom around like a sack of potatoes is an 'ADULT' conversation? You don't touch her again, or I'll kill you. I swear it."

"Buffy, honey, it's okay, I'll be fi-"

"(kneels down to Joyce) No, mom. You have been taking this shit from him for years. All of his outbursts are for nothing. He is just a control freak and can't handle the fact that you have a life. Wake up mom, you have been beaten to a bloody pulp more than once, and yet you say you love this thing? Your on the floor, and can barley move, what sort of love is that?"

"Don't say that Buffy dearest. You just might get hurt yourself."

"Don't you dare threaten her! She's your daughter!"

SMACK "Don't talk back to me!"

(stands up) THWACK! "I said don't touch her!"

"Buffy…I……ooo my head…"

"(Kneels beside Joyce) Hold on mom… please hold on…DAD! CALL 911! IF YOU HAVE EVER LOVED HER BEFORE YOU WILL DO THIS! GO! CALL NOW!"

"…Fine…But were finished Joyce…no more games…Were done."

"What?…yes…fine…(passes out)"

"(looks over her shoulder, glaring.) Make the call. Now."

Buffy looks up at the mirror and sees herself crying. _No, I'm not going to cry because of him._ She puts her hand over her mouth, the wetness in her eyes duplicates. _I'm not going to cry._ She sits down on the floor, and grasps her knees to her chest._ I'm not going to…_ Then the tears fall out of her eyes, and her body begins to shake with nerving cries. Buffy puts her head on her knees and lets out all of the frustrations, pains, and anger, through her tears, falling slowly down cheeks, and onto the bathroom floor. _Damn him._


	11. What you see is what you get

**The Crypt**

Spike paces around in circles in his crypt with furrowed eyebrows and needs to burn energy._ He's been gone too long, it's already bloody day out. Something's up._ He finally sits down in his chair and turns on his T.V, flipping through his three channels over and over again. He turns it off.

"You need to stop being so tense." Angel whispers in Spike's ear. Spike jumps out of the chair and whirls around.

"You bloody twit. Where the hell have you been?" Spike takes a few cautious steps toward Angel.

"What are you, my mother? I was out all night, and yet, you find that odd. I'm touched, really." Angel sits in Spike's chair smiling.

"Oh sod off you arrogant bastard." Spike grumbles and leans against the wall. " I thought maybe the Slayer had a go at you, she is stronger then most."

Angel laughs, "Don't worry Spikey, She would have a hell of a time trying to kill moi." He points at him self and stands up. He walks over to Spike and claps him on the back. "Jeeze, your paler than usually, have you fed?" Angel turns Spike toward the sewer hole. "I'll take you to a place where I've kept a little surprise. Believe me, you'll like it."_ It will be the last surprise you'll ever get._

"Right peaches. Your full of it you know. But sure, I'll go alone with it for now. After all, a little surprise could be worth all the trouble." Spike jumps down the hole.

Angel smirks to himself. "And there will be trouble." Then jumps down the hole after Spike.

****

Riley

Riley walks down the sunny street to Cordelia's house, not being totally forgiven yet._ I better make this good._

"Hey, um, Riley?"

Riley stops and turns around slowly. " Buffy! What are you doing here?" Riley walks up to Buffy and looks around, making sure Cordelia wasn't coming from her house. He takes Buffy's arm and leads her in the opposite direction.

'I…I was thinking about what you said. I, I would like to meet this friend of yours, I need to know who Spike is, what he can do. Could you set up a meeting for me?" Buffy asks hopefully, stopping and looking right at him.

Riley looks at her face and could almost pity her. Almost. Suddenly a sharp pain cut through his brain. He doubles over and cries out. _She'll have so much to lose. And she'll be out of the way. You do want that, don't you Riley? Tell her to meet me at the factory._ Then it was gone, and like before, only a slight headache remained.

"Riley! Are you all right?" Buffy asks frantically. _Hey just cause I don't like the guy, doesn't mean I can't be descent._ Buffy grabs hold of Riley's shoulder and gives him a slight shake. "Riley? You okay?"

Riley straightens up and rubs his temple. " I'm fine, it's just and old football injury that acts up every now and then, don't worry about it. Look, you want to meet my mast-, uh, friend, you'll have to go to that old factory on the south side of town."

"Right. Thanks." Buffy turns to go with an odd look on her face.

Riley grabs her arm and spins her around. "Wait, you'll have to go tonight, He works during the day." _Sure, he works._

Angel stops suddenly and can tell that Riley is calling him with his mind. "Hey Spike, go on, I saw a rat just a few seconds ago."

"A little eager mate?" Spike asks with a smile over his shoulder.

"What? I feel peckish." Angel retorts. Spike turns and keeps walking. Angel closes his eyes and probes for Riley's mind. Finally he reaches it and opens his eyes, only to be looking through Riley's._ The Slayer._ Angel grits his teeth._ She's so unaware. How pleasent._ He listens.

"-like to meet this friend of yours, I need to know who Spike is, what he can do. Could you set up a meeting for me?" Angel closes his eyes again. _She'll have so much to lose. And she'll be out of the way. You do want that, don't you Riley? Tell her to meet me at the factory._ Then he opens his eyes, and looks down. He picks up a rat.

****

The Magic Shop

"I'm telling you Giles, it's uber weird. He was all normal one second, then going all foaming at the mouthish. Plus, he was about to call this friend of his 'master', and, this friend wants to meet me in an abandoned factory at night. Can I take 'creatures of the night for 1000' and say Vampire?" Buffy picks up the bow and an arrow, and aims it at the target. She lets the arrow go and hits the outer ring.

"Well, I suppose. What I don't understand is how Riley's, um, fit, was connected to his slip up on the 'master' word, and how could he know exactly what factory it was for you to go. Maybe his fit was just, well, a fit. Lower your elbows." Giles picks up the book he was reading and flips through it.

"Blood bonding." Buffy says, once again aiming and letting the arrow go, but lowering her elbows. It hits the bulls eye just barley. "Not the best but HA, and I bet I could do it again." Buffy smiles and looks at Giles, who is looking at her surprised. " What? It's not like it was impossible for me to hit it."

"What? Oh, no not that. What did you say before?" Giles asks putting down his book and walking toward his shelf.

Buffy slowly looks over at Giles. "Wait, you mean, you didn't know? You, you actually didn't know something? I need to write this down. You know, it's times like these that make me feel so good." Buffy smiles and aims at the target again, hitting the outer ring from the bulls eye. " I had my elbows lowered." She mumbles.

Giles looks at her evenly. " You don't need to rub it in, I admit there are some things that even I don't know. Where did you learn this? Tighten your back."

"With Doug. He was blood bound once, he told me all about it and it wasn't very fun. The only way to get unbound is buy killing the vampire who did it." With Buffy frowning, she pulls back on the string with arrow in place, aims carefully, and lets it go. It hits dead centre. " I may not like Riley in any particular way, but if this vampire guy blood bound him, he's dust." Buffy tosses Giles the bow and walks toward the door. " It's in volume two of, 'The Vampyr's Guide to a Perfect Eternity.' Then look under the section with enslaving others in over 200 ways. Look in the B's. I've got to go pick up Dawn so bye Giles!" Buffy calls over her shoulder before shutting the door.

Giles just looks at the door with a blank stare. "So, she isn't totally hopeless." Then he puts on his glasses, and walks to the back with a sigh.


	12. Soulless

****

Williow's House

"Ashatia minas lanthian ton pris depingan jesk." Willow opens her eyes and smoke boils over the top of the pot and covers the table. After it subsides the once empty table was overflowing with food and candles. Willow smiles at her self and pulls Xander toward her. " See? Told ya I only needed a pot and some Sage."

Xander laughs and dances Willow around, "I guess it was only a matter of time before Fast food took a whole new meaning." He stops spinning her and looks at the table. " You know Will, you really didn't have to do all of this food, I mean, it's even a little much for me." Xander's stomach growls. They both look down at it and Willow gives him a sidelong glance.

" Sure, and if you won't eat this all then I'm Celin Dion."

Xander fake gasps, " What? You? No! It couldn't be! I knew this was going too good!" Willow gives him a playful shove and they both start laughing. After it subsides, Willow and Xander just smile at each other for a while, then he lowers his head and gives Willow the smallest of kisses on the lips. Willow smiles.

"You always tickle my mouth when you do that." She smiles even more. " I love it." They hold hands as they walk towards the table again, and separate till they are at opposites ends of the table. Willow gives Xander a loving smile," Dig in! well, not literally "dig in", because that's so piggish and rude, but I mean, eat!"

Xander just smiles and chuckles._ I am the luckiest man alive._ Then floats the food onto his plate.

****

The Sewers

Spike cautiously walks beside Angel, sensing his excitement, and immediately knows that something is up. _What have I gotten myself into?_ " So peaches, where abouts are we going any way, because you know just how I LOVE to wander aimlessly through dank sewers. I'll admit it, I don't have a bloody clue where we are, and personally, this smell is going to take weeks to get rid of." Spike tries to draw Angel's attention." You haven't said a word till that rat, did it decide it was to much for you?" Spike tries again. He just gives up. " You know what Peaches, I'm just going to go back, I can wait till dusk to eat, besides, trying to cut back a little. You know what high blood sugar can do to me, woo! Remember back in 37 with that hippy? Awww man was that tripping! So, anyway, good of you to care, catch ya later." Spike starts to turn around, but a large hand comes down on his shoulder.

"What? And leave before your surprise? Trust me! You'll love it! I'll give you a hint if you want. It's from the past, and will become the present." Angel smiles and starts to pull Spike back in front of him. Spike lifts Angel's hand.

"No thanks lad, I'm alright till dusk, and trust me, there is more to it than just me. And besides, what kind of clue is that? Pathetic really. I'll be going then." Once again Spike turns around, but instead of one hand, two very hard ones practically push him down into the floor.

Angel wasn't smiling anymore. " I insist." and he spins Spike around and throws him in front of himself. " Still as stubborn as ever Spike. You really need to learn to play by the rules." Angel looks up and jumps up to push a trap door up with a loud bang. Then he comes back down and grabs Spike and throws him into the room upstairs. He lands on his arm breaking and dislocating it.

"AHHHH!YOU STUPID SOD!" Spike calls out in pain as Angel climbs himself up into the room as well.

He just smiles. "oops." and walks to a pillar and leans against it.

Spike tries to get up with his good arm, fails, then tries again and puts himself into a sitting position. He leans against a pole and then leans forward, his good hand over his dislocated shoulder, then throws himself back and puts his shoulder back into place. " AHHH! YOU BLOODY PIECE OF HORSE SHI-"

" Hey now Spike, not in front of the lady." Angel coos as he slowly raises his hand toward the dark. Drusilla glides out to a stop in front of Spike.

"Awww, poor little bad dog, you needed a good smacking. Ooooooo, your head is screaming hateful things." Dru leans down and taps her fingers around his head. "I don't like what they're saying." Dru straightens up and walks toward Angel and drapes her arms on his shoulders. She rests her head on his shoulder blade. " They make me want to cry. Boo hoo hoo." She then moves her head so he could only see the little black curls over Angel's shoulder.

Spike is in shock. He is filled with Joy, then remorse, then anger, then realization, then fierce anger. " You bloody ponce. You lied to me, you said she was dead." Spike struggles to get up, the pain slashing through his arm. He leans his body against the pole as support.

Angle laughs. " Well technically I wasn't lying. She could fit into a dusting pan, until I was able to find her in the hell dimension."

Spike sighs." You wanted me to help you find the slayer. Well you found her didn't you? Now let me go. I have better things to do then to play bash the Spike, and catch up on old times." Spike pushes himself off and starts to head for the trap door when a head pops up from it.

Angel laughs at Spike's surprise. " What? Did you expect anything less?" He walks toward the trap door, shoving Spike back to where he was, and holds out a hand. " Darla wanted to say hello." She looks over at Spike and winks as Angel pulls her up. Drusilla is tapping her fingers up and down her arm.

"Your anger makes me shiver with anticipation. See all these little bumps? They're from you Spiky. It makes Mommy want to play a while." Dru looks over at Angel. " Can I?" She gives a little pouty face, and slowly sashés her way toward Angel. " Pretty please?" She looks over at Spike and does a little slow twirl as she walks toward him. " Mommy wants to play." Dru begins to crouch down to Spike when Angel lifts her up and looks at her very darkly.

"Not yet Dru. He needs to get the story first." Angel loosens his grip and puts a hand on her cheek to show he was sorry.

Dru claps and smiles " oooh I love stories!" She runs and jumps onto a pile of cushions.

"What did you ever see in her." Darla drawls out while walking up to Angel. " She's barley a child. You should of left her as ashes." Darla remarks offhandedly and walks past him.

Angel growls as his face changes quickly and grabs Darla to whip her around to face him. "She's worth much more than dust, dear Darla. You should thank me."

Darla returns the transformation with her own and growls back twice as loud. She tears her arm from his grip. "Yeah, Thanks for nothing. She's you little sex toy. That's all she ever was, that's all she'll ever be." Angel just smirks.

"You never seemed to complain." He changes back still smiling. Darla glares at him. " At least I'm not the most insane vampire on this damned Earth." Darla suddenly turns around to see Spike face to face with Dru.

She is not smiling anymore and she is just looking at Spike, her hand clutching his throat . " BAD DOG! You have no more love for me. We had such fun, but I Don't like you anymore either. Your spiteful, you ungrateful creature. The stars used to Sing for us. " She releases him and looks over at Angel. " I don't want to play anymore." She walks toward Angel and wraps her arms around his waist. She lays her head against his shoulder. " I want this to end now." Angel tightly holds Drusilla while glaring at Darla to dare her to make a sound.

"I don't know about you, but me too." Buffy calls from the catwalk up above. All four of the vampires look up in shock. Buffy is standing on the bar of the catwalks, her fists on her hips, in one hand holding a stake. She looks at Drusilla. "Hey Dru. Good to see your solid." Then she looks at Angel. Her mouth turns into a grim line. "And finally he has a name. Angel, it's been too long." Then she looks over at Darla. "Aha, now here's a new face." Buffy then Jumps down with a flip to hit the floor standing. She sticks out her and to Darla and gives her the best smile she had. " I'm Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I'm supposed to kill you. And you are?"

Darla being confused puts her hand into Buffy's. She slowly says, " Darla."

Buffy then clamps her hand closed as tightly as she could around Darla's. "Nice to meet you." Then she pulls Darla toward her and twirls her into hitting Angel and Drusilla. They all fall down into a pile as Buffy rushes toward Spike and helps him up. " You good?" She asks.

Spike glances at her and nods as he makes his way toward the trap door, knowing when to take a cue. He falls easily down into the sewers and starts to run.

"You know Buffy, this whole cliché act of you showing up just in time is getting rather tiresome." Angel remarks as he gets up, pulling Drusilla with him. " You should find a new occupation."

Buffy just tilts her head. "Do you really think so? What would you suggest? How about a veterinarian, I'm very good at putting animals down." She kicks Drusilla down and does a spinning back punch into Angel's face. Suddenly Darla has Buffy's arms crushed against her back.

"I'm sure if you could be anything else it would have to be-" Buffy snaps her head back hitting Darla's, causing her to go unconscious. Buffy takes out a stake and starts toward Darla, but Angel grabs her arm and pulls her away from Darla and into Drusilla, who takes both of Buffy's wrists in one hand, and using the other to pull her head back exposing her neck. But she doesn't bite. She waits for Angel to help Darla up, and for both of them to come up to Buffy.

Angel smiles and looks at Darla." Told you so."

"Okay, so maybe she can be useful at times." Darla grumbles, rubbing her jaw and wiping away the blood from her nose.

__

I'm not going to end like this. The Buffy realizes something. Drusilla is slowly loosening her grip. Buffy stops struggling and looks at Drusilla from the corner of her eye. Her eyebrows furrow together._ There's something in her face that's different. But…_ Buffy's eyes go wide._ She's not going to let me die._

Drusilla's mouth turns into a frown, and her eyebrows also move together. "I…I can't kill her." Drusilla looks away from Angel.

Angel is in shock. "What? But…but she dusted you, and I went and found you. You have every responsibility to kill her." Angel whispers to Drusilla.

Dru pulls Buffy closer to her, away from Angel. Buffy is even more surprised. _She's PROTECTING me?_

"I…I can't let you hurt her." Dru barley whispers, not understanding what's happening. She looks up at Angel. " What…I don't see…I can't see…Angel….My little Angel…I'm so blind to myself. I…I don't know what I'm doing. I have these….feelings…Make them go, you can do that, make them leave." Drusilla is frantically looking at Angel. Finally, He realizes what is wrong.

He looks down. " Damn." He looks back up at Drusilla and gets angry. "DAMN IT!" He punches the wall with a thundering crack. His fist stuck in the wall, he tugs and slowly pulls it out, bloody and broken. " Leave." He says quietly, examining his fist. "And take your slayer with you." He turns his back to Drusilla and begins to walk to the opposite side of the factory. " I can't kill you, but maybe your feelings will." He stops and leans against a pole, his back still turned, embedded in the shadows.

Drusilla looks hurt by his words and lets Buffy go entirely. She looks directly at his back. "What am I?"

Angel glances over his shoulder. " I'm soulless, you're not."

Buffy gasps.


	13. Awakening

****

Spike

Spike kicks in the door to his crypt and stumbles toward his fridge. He opens it and takes a bottle of his best vodka out. He opens it and guzzles down half. He finally stops drinking and wobblingly makes his way to his chair, collapsing into it. Spike patiently waits for the alcohol to kick in. "Bloody arm." He grumbles to himself. He takes a large gulp of vodka and thinks about what happened earlier that night._ Dru isn't dead. Angel lied. They wanted something from me, or at least, wanted to DO something to me. Peaches n' Cream are at it again._ He sneers and takes another gulp. _Bet it had to do with my "Treachery," They just can't let it go. That was bloody well years ago. Not like I'll do it again._ Then his thoughts turn to Buffy, Realizing that she saved him from a good royal thrashing, possibly death. _She could 'ave just left me there, or even done me in herself._ He sneers again, this time at himself._ oh bugger you Spike._ He takes another gulp and gets up, slowly. He begins to take another sip when suddenly his head is intruded with a loud scream. He gets weak in the knees, and falls to the ground, dropping his vodka. It shatters on the floor. He cries out in pain. Then he knows. In the midst of all that yelling in pain from landing on his broken arm and his pounding head, he knew. _Drusilla. Her soul._ Then it was gone. The pain stopped as quickly as it began. Spike slowly sits up in amazement._ But…How?_

****

Buffy

Buffy looks from Drusilla to Angel. "Woah, back up. You mean-" She points at Dru and looks over at Angel. "She has her soul?" She can see Angel flinch.

Very darkly, and teeth clenched he responds, "Yes." He pushes himself off the pole and paces. "And she got it back through some sort of connection to you, but I don't know how." He walks toward Drusilla and tries to take her hand, but she takes a step away from him, holding her hand to her head. She closes her eyes.

"I…I remember. A deal was made when I left hell. I Promised I wouldn't touch a single hair on the slayer's little head in exchange for myself to go back with Angel." She opens her eyes and looks up at Angel, who's face is in complete surprise. Drusilla looks away. "It was so I could be back, and finish our planning for little Spike." She smiles, but it quickly turns to a frown. "What…what a dreadful thought. I couldn't of been seriously thinking that I- Oh my lord." She looks at herself. She examines her dress, which is blood red and of the deepest blue. It has a low neckline and the sleeves extend past her fingers. And the necklace is a real sapphire. "What am I wearing?" She looks up at Angel "Wait, what year is it?" She begins to panic then suddenly her memory begins to flood back to her. Slowly her eyes go wide with fear and tears form. She drops to the floor on to her knees. "Oh-oh my God…" She looks at Angel, then at Buffy, who can't believe it. "I'm…I'm a monster." Dru says in the quietest of voices. "How could I be so cruel, and, and evil? I…I would have never done anything to anyone. What-" She looks up at Angel. "You made me like this. A creature of the night, a BLOODY VAMPIRE!" She screams at him and stands up, tears fiercely running down her cheeks. She glares at Angel. Then remembers that Buffy was still there. She looks down at the floor not meeting her eyes, knowing exactly what she had done to hurt Buffy. Then she walks right up to her and takes her hands. She looks at her straight in the eye. "I'm sorry, I…If I had been human rather then a Vampire, I wouldn't of hurt Doug or anyone, not for all the world. I'm so sorry." And she cries. She cries for Buffy, for Doug, for all her victims, and her family. She collapses in Buffy's arms heaving with cries. Buffy holds Dru up easily, trying hard not to cry herself. She pushes Dru away.

Buffy looks at Dru up and down. _She's acting completely different. She's so…feminine, regretful and remorseful. Is…Could this be what she was like before Angel?_ Buffy shakes her head and starts to head toward the trap door, not seeing Darla. " I need to get out of here."

Angel twirls angrily towards Dru. He grabs her tightly and pulls her toward him. " Come on Dru, this isn't you. You live to kill, I made you to kill, your not this meek mouse. Sure you have your soul but that doesn't stop you." He whispers to her inches from her face.

"It did to you." Darla calls from beside the trap door. Buffy whirls around, knowing that she had to get the hell out of there. "And please just let me get this out before you kill me, Buffy-" Darla looks at Angel with a smirk as he reluctantly looks away from Dru. " I told you so." Then Buffy draws her stake and punctures Darla in the heart. Darla keeps smiling, lifts her hand and wiggles her fingers as they turn to dust. "Take care now." and then crumbles in a heap of ashes onto the floor.

Buffy keeps moving and jumps down the trap door, leaving the couple to work it out. _Who would have thought that Drusilla was once, just a shy, insignificant little girl._ She frowns, not wanting to feel sorry for her, but she couldn't help it._ She was alone, because Angel forced her to be alone. Her sanity left with her soul, and it came back with it. She truly is lost._ Buffy stops running and puts her hands to her face, shifting her feet. And for the first time, since his death, she cried for him, she cried for Doug.

****

Drusilla

She looks around, very afraid and slowly but surely her memory comes back. She looks over at Angel in fear, remembering what he did to her family. She falls to the floor, holding her knees to her chest and cries. She can't look at this stranger yet familiarity is there. She hears some mumbling and realizes that he's talking to her. She looks over at him carefully and tries to listen.

"…But you can't be like this, not now, not when we were so close." He takes a few strides toward Drusilla and she just as quickly pulls herself away from him. He sighs and stops walking toward her. He crouches and puts out his hand toward her. "Drusilla baby, please come here and talk?" Angel tries to put on his most sorrowful face.

"N-n-no." She stammers as she hits the wall behind her and pulls herself up. " get…get away from….m-me." She barley can stand she's so scared, afraid what he could do to her. "You're the monster, n-n-not me." She looks around frantically as Angel slowly stands up. Then she remembers something. She glances toward the trap door. She looks back at Angel. Suddenly she bursts past Angel, jumps down into the trap door, pulls it shut behind her and vanishes from Angel's sight.

"Drusilla!" Angel screams in shock as he races to the door, pulling on it, finding it locked from the other side. He pulls and pulls and he can't break it. Angel screams in frustration, thrashes around in anger and breaks so many poles. Finally his anger spent, he sits in the middle of the floor, head in his hands.

Down in the sewers Drusilla runs, she runs as fast as she can, not caring if Buffy is down here, she just wants to get away. When she suddenly trips over something, or someone. Drusilla, terrified, quickly gets back up and is almost on her feet when a hand grabs her arm, hard. She cries out in pain and looks behind her. She immediately looks down. Then slowly she sits back down on the floor with Buffy. "Please, just let me go." Drusilla says quietly. With her free hand she fiddles with invisible lint on her dress, not meeting Buffy's eyes. " I-I just want to be left alone." She looks to her side, still refusing to look at Buffy. _What is she going to do to me?_

**Buffy**

Buffy slowly loosens her grip and lets her hand drop entirely. She just can't help staring at this version of Drusilla. The meek, shy, uninvolved with the world, sorrowful, regretful Drusilla. And she still couldn't believe it. She suddenly felt a pang of pity for this poor girl that never got a choice, that followed orders, that was going through a deep recollection of her past. ALL of her past. Who lost her family brutally to one of the worst Vampires known to man. Well whatever man knew about vampires anyway. _What are you thinking? She is a murderer. She kills to live, she has no feelings, she makes people suffer, she killed Doug, this is Drusilla. And you are still the slayer._ Buffy raises her stake.

"Please." Drusilla just barley whispers, not evening knowing that Buffy has her stake raised. Buffy once again feels a pang of pity, but pushes it down.

She gets a good grip on her stake and is about to dust, when a little voice that she can't ignore comes into her head. _What ever she has done before, THIS is Drusilla._ Buffy can't help but listen to the voice. She sighs and lets the stake drop back to her side. She slowly puts a hand onto Drusilla's shoulder and pulls her chin up so she is looking at her. "We have some talking to do." Buffy stands up and gives her hand out to Drusilla.

Reluctantly, yet happy she just hasn't been killed, she nods and takes Buffy's hand. "Thank you." and she smiles inwardly. _Thank you._

**Spike**

Spike sits on a bench in a graveyard. Where am I?_ He stands up, realizing his hair is it's rich brown colour, and that his clothes are not his trademark leather. He looks around and notices the tree. He smiles and walks toward that tree. He goes to the other side knowing what he'll find. _

"Elizabeth." He whispers. There she sits, waiting for him and looking out onto the water of the lake. This is their place, their special place where he taught her to hone her skills, and where she taught him to care. He forgot about this place, ashamed that he would. He walks up to her and sits down. " Good evening."

She smiles and doesn't even look over at him. " Good Evening sir." She puts her hand in his and leans her head on to his shoulder. He puts his arm around her. God how he has missed this. "I've been waiting."

Spike closes his eyes as he breaths in her scent. " I know." He kisses the top of her head. He is always happy with her. Even in dreams. " Drusilla has her soul." He says out of the blue. He can feel her smile.

"I know." She says and puts her free hand on his other hand and strokes it. " I'm happy for her. She can finally have what little humanity she has left."

Spike can't help but laugh. He hugs Elizabeth. "You're a piece of work." He waits for her next question.

"How is Buffy?" She asks and looks up at him.

He looks down at Elizabeth surprised, then looks away. "She… I actually don't know. I assume she's rattled about the whole Drusilla thing, after all, she killed Doug." He looks at her again. "Why?"

She gives a little smile. "Oh, nothing." She begins to stand up. "I just want to show you something." She walks toward the lake, holding Spike's hand and sits at the edge of the Lake. "Sit" Still holding Spike's hand she touches the water and the ripples make a picture.

Spike's eyes go wide as the picture comes into focus. It's of him and Buffy kissing that one night in the graveyard, at Elizabeth's grave. Nervously Spike looks at Elizabeth's face. Oddly, she is still smiling. "Why are you showing me this, it was just a kiss, spur of the moment ya know?" He goes to get up, but She tugs his hand and pulls him back down.

"Look at your faces Spike." Spike reluctantly looks at their faces, and sees something there. There was a certain spark to that kiss, like it was a promise for many more to come. He shakes his head. " I can't go down that road again." He gets up and walks back to the tree leaning against it. He looks back at Elizabeth. " I can't, She is a slayer, I am a Vampire. They don't mix. You pointed that out years ago."

Elizabeth gets up and walks toward Spike. She looks down and puts her hand on his arm. " I know. And I was wrong." She looks up at Spike. "I love you, I always have, and I wish I could have done more to make it work. I realize you would have protected me and I…I want it to be like it was." She let her arm fall and she took a step back. " But that's impossible now. I can only watch you now, and this is where we can be together. But…but I know it's not enough for you." She turns her back to him. Spike turns her to face him, not knowing she was crying until she faced him. He wiped a tear from her cheek.

He frowns as he strokes her cheek. "Don't say that pet. You know I'd do anything to bring you back. I would." She takes a step away. Spike lets his hand drop to his side.

"It's clear that you want her, and she wants you, though she'll never admit it." Elizabeth smiles despite herself. "You deserve each other. No matter what has happened to me, she will come around." Then she begins to fade. She smiles and blows a kiss to Spike. Spike just stands there and watches her figure blur and the scenery disintegrate. Then Blackness.

Where am I? 

Spike opens his eyes with a sigh. He looks around and realizes it's night, and that Drusilla was there. He immediately gets up.

"Hello." She says meekly.


	14. Confessions

****

2 hours earlier

Drusilla sits on Buffy's couch with some hot chocolate. "Thank you for the, um, clothes. That Dress was just….thank you." Dru looks down at the floor, using her finger to circle the rim of her cup. She just stares at her cup.

Buffy is sitting with her legs crossed on her chair, looking at Dru's face. "Your welcome." She replies calmly. Buffy can't get over by how much Dru has changed which makes her think of a question. " Do you still, um….Hear…..things?" Buffy asks curiously.

Dru nods her head. "Yes. They are always in my head. Only once in a while I can get them to stop. When Angel Sired me, they drove me to madness. Well, I guess that was mainly because he slaughtered my family in front of me." She looks up. "He had a soul too at one point. He killed a gypsy princess for me and…" Dru's eyebrows furrow together and she looks at the floor. "My God." She closes her eyes as she remembers. "He mangled her. I remember. Everything." She looks back at Buffy. " The..the girl. She, she had green ribbons in her hair." Dru smiles. "It was red and curly. I was so envious of her hair. And she was gorgeous. Absolutely beautiful." A tear escapes Dru's eye and slowly descends down her cheek. "For 11, she had the makings of a great beauty. And I was jealous. I'd do anything to take it back, asking for her like I did. Angel would do anything for me. So that's how he got his soul. He killed the grand daughter of a powerful Gypsy witch. They cursed him, and the world benefited from it. So some good came out of the bad." She looks back up at Buffy and wipes her cheek with her hand as she uses the other to set her cup down. " But I still regret it. All of it. I can hear all of them, all of my victim's and the people I'd capture for days and torture them. They are all inside. And there are victims that aren't even mine in my head. They are all there just….swarming and….infesting….and not…going…away…" Dru's tear stricken face turns away again from Buffy as she gets up and begins to pace. "I need to…. To go…I need to get out…I need…." Her face lights up, she quickly turns to a very shocked Buffy. " I need to see Spike." She goes onto her knees and grabs Buffy's hands. "Please, bring me to him. I need to see him….please….please." Each please barley a whisper. She then puts her head into Buffy's lap. "Please."

Buffy is frozen into place, not moving, letting Dru hold her hands. _Okay. WOAH! A little TOO much information here! This…this is just too much period._ Buffy gets up, and paces. _No, she…she can't be here. She can't just…STAY here. What can I d- SPIKE! She wants me to take her to Spike anyways._ She doesn't even know where Spike lives. She paces and thinks as Dru looks at her frantically. _He came out of no where that night._ Then Buffy just stops._ No, not no where. The crypt beside her grave. _She smiles to herself. _Where else would it be?_ She than looks at Dru. She pulls Dru to her feet. "I'll take you to Spike. We finish this later." Buffy grabs her coat and stake. She turns toward Dru with malice. "I know you mean well now, but your still a monster." She opens the door. "Nothing, not a soul or a conscience, will EVER change that." She stands aside. "Get out of my home, and don't come back. If we ever talk again, I'll find you." Dru nods in submission and walks through the doorway, Buffy quickly shutting the door and taking lead.

"Thank you." She looks over her shoulder at Dru, but she turns her head, not meeting Buffy's eyes. Buffy sneers and turns her head. Dru tries to keep up with Buffy's fast pace as they walk in silence.

****

NOW

Spike immediately stands up looking at Dru. He brings his hand to his face, wiping away the sweat left over from his dream. "Dru, is….is it real?" He asks.

Dru smiles at his question, and nods. "Yes. I now have a soul Spike. I…I needed to..to apologize for my…actions tonight." She says in between scared breaths. "Can you forgi- AHH!" Dru rapidly falls to the ground, her hands reaching for her temples, her face in twisted pain. "SPIKE!" She screams out to him. He quickly goes to her, picks her up off of the floor and carries her to the bed. "Spike…" She whispers before she goes unconscious. He gently sets her on the bed and stands over her, drinking in every detail. He forgot about her fits. But now it's more Skin deep, with her soul back, now she can't endure the pain like before as a full pledged vampire. Suddenly the door bursts open, and Buffy is standing there in all her slaying glory. Spike couldn't help but smile.

"Well well well, came to finish her off then?" He glances at Dru unconscious. Then he side steps so he blocks her body. " 'Fraid can't let you do that." He brings his arms to his side, ready to tackle the slayer for a good fight. A fight he NEEDS to get out of his system. But Buffy just scowls and drops her raised stake to her side. Spike frowns on the inside, but is also excited._ What does this mean?_ Spike shakes his head a little. _Don't you bloody well start._ He looks up at Buffy, who still hasn't moved.

__

Just turn and go, no innocent civilian getting eaten alive, so just leave. Buffy tells herself. Her feet don't move. She looks around a little and then crosses her arms defensively. "I Heard a scream in here. I thought Dru and you were have a celebration meal. You know after successfully tricking the slayer. Just, staying on edge." _More like scared that Dru did something to you._ Buffy shakes her head._ Bad Buffy. No fuzzy feelings for a peroxide vampire. But, all that black on him is really ni-BAD BUFFY!_ Buffy shakes her head again, a little harder this time. She looks at Spike again. "But since no house blood bath is going on, I guess I'll be going then." She turns quickly, her feet finally allowing her to move. But Spike's voice stops her half way.

"What? Is that all? HA! You really had me fooled. I thought you were a type of slayer where every kill matters, no matter how intruding-" He looks straight at Buffy, "Or how good looking the vampire is." Spike smirks at Buffy's reaction. "Your supposed to go out with a Bang with every vampire you meet. Not with, 'I guess I'll be going then'" Spike imitates Buffy's voice, badly.

"What, would you rather I dust you and your girlfriend? Because right now, I'm doing you a favour, 'Pet'" Buffy imitates Spike, badly. They glare at each other for a minute.

"Then stop with the pleasantries, and get to it love." Spike says slowly at Buffy. He than takes a fighting stance. Buffy Drops her stake and reflects Spike's stance.

"Your totally gonna get your ass served raw." Buffy Responds. Than she Jumps down off the stairs and they begin to circle each other. Spike takes the a swing at Buffy, which she grabs and pulls him forward, and knees him in the family jewels. Spike's eyes bulge.

He stumbles back a bit, leaning forward, taking deep, not needed breaths. He looks up after a minute. Buffy smiles and raises her eyebrows at him. He smirks, "That's more like it." He than tackles Buffy and traps her underneath him, arms held down by her head. Spike throws in a few good punches before Buffy rolls him onto his back and she punches much in the same manner. Than he grabs her fist just before it reaches his face, and looks up at Buffy. All challenge gone from his face. Buffy's face also takes on a new look as she stares at Spike. They stay like that, staring at each other, absorbing all of each others features. She then quickly gets up and wipes the dust of her shirt. She looks around for her stake, picks it up, and once again heads toward the door. "Buffy." he calls out. She stops. It's the first time he has used her name. She tilts her head in his direction to show she was listening. "Why are you doing this? I mean, me, vampire. You, slayer. Slayer stakes vampire. World is prosperous. Why won't you?" He gets up and stands in the middle of the floor, with this curiosity in his eyes.

Buffy tilts her head a little more so she can make eye contact with Spike. "Yes, you're a vampire Spike. And it's my job to hate you." Than she turns her head straight. "So why can't I?" Than she starts to walk up the stairs. "So the question should be, what's holding me back." and than she was out the door, fading into shadows, with a vampire looking at her back in shock.

"Spike?" Dru mumbles as she slowly sits up. She looks around, stuff is tipped over. She looks at Spike in alarm. "Did I miss anything?"


	15. Simple talks

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Buffy the Vampire Charcters.

_I'm So sorry my fans! I have been busy for a long time, and I just registered for high school today, so I had a little extra time on my hands. This chapter is a little short, so I'll try to get it updated. And I realize that I keep using Angel instead of Angelus, but hey, I like to make it confusing for those perfectionists. lol. okay, I hope you like this chapter._

****

Angel

Angel runs down the sewer pipe, after finally getting the trap door open._ Rethinking the idea of a bolt that can withstand vampire/slayer strength._ He scowls as he thinks of the Slayer._ She killed her once, I'm not going to let this little deal Dru made kill her again._ He speeds up, following Dru's smell down the pipe, until he stops. He turns around and runs a little ways back to another pipe intersecting with the one he was in. He sniffs. _Dru?_ He sniffs again._ Definitely._ He looks down the other pipe, and then looks at the one to his left again. "Damn it." He keeps looking down the pipes, not being able to choose. He groans. Then he Puts one hand over his eyes and points with the other. He spins 7 times and stops. Then he opens his eyes to find himself pointing a little off down a pipe. He doesn't know which one, but he has made a choice. He begins to run again._ If anyone had ever seen that, it would be the death of me._ But he smiles.

"Spike? Are you okay?" Dru says quickly standing up, but just flops back down on the bed very dizzy. "Ooo, right. The unconsciousness."

Spike smiles slightly. "You had a tumble Pet. So did me and the Slayer." He says with a snarl, and wiping the blood from his nose. He shakes his head as he looks at the door._ She is so damn confusing. She would have drove Einstein mad. Well, even more so than he already was._ He looks back at Dru, realizing she must be hungry. He walks up to her and takes her hand. He gently pulls her to her feet. "Well, you must be starving, we can go over and get some blood from the butchers for you, and then we can figure out what to do." He starts to lead her to the door. Dru smiles.

"You know Spike, you can really be compassionate when the time is right." He looks at her a little shocked. But he just snorts and keeps heading slowly with Dru toward the crypt door. Then She remembered her vision. Dru stops walking and looks up at Spike in shock. "You and the…the slayer?" Dru asks astounded. She looks past Spike at the hole in the floor. "You started as enemies, but will become friends, then…." She looks again at Spike, " Then you'll…..oh for Christ sake, I can't remember." She scowls and looks at her feet. She suddenly has energy and begins to pace and think. Trying to remember what her vision was. Then her eyebrows go up, and her eyes fill with tears. She turns toward Spike. " But….there will be a sacrifice….for love…." She looks at Spike dead in the eye." Your Sacrifice." She walks up slowly towards Spike who is more than confused. Dru Puts her hand on his cheek, still looking him in the eye. "Your love." She smiles a little. "But not the love for me. Of course not. But a new love. A love barley discovered by the time of this sacrifice. This Sacrifice will be one of true love. For Her." She looks down at the floor, drops her hand, and takes a few steps back, still not looking at Spike. She says in barley a whisper, "For Buffy." Dru walks towards the door, avoiding Spike's shocked eyes. "She…She won't know, you don't even know. You'll never say the words. But even now, your heart beats for her, and her alone. Or at least, someone like her." Dru's eyebrows once again furrow together. She looks out of a window as she speaks. " Someone from the past, who has returned, but not as Buffy. Someone who has influenced you, not through flesh and blood, but through your mind. Her Soul. Elizabeth's soul." Dru said almost on a sour note. Then her face grows quickly gentile again. She turns and begins to sob. " Bloody Elizabeth…" using her hand, Dru fiercely wipes away the tears and turns to look at Spike once more. "This is what I saw Spike. And It's all true. Down to every vague detail." She took Spike's hand in her own. "And I'll help you to fight it, if you want me too." After Dru finished her speech, there was a long silence. Finally, Spike's shocked expression shakes into one of bewilderment. He looks in to Dru's eyes. He smiles a little.

"Let's get you fed." and takes her out the door, in all her Drusilla Glory. _She is once again engulfed by the visions, though now, she has a fraction of her humanity back. She has emotion. And that means jealousy, love, hate, etc. I'm going to discover what Dru was like before Angel. Wow. I mean…WOW…_ Spike thought to himself._ There was barley anything before Angel. He basically MADE history. Pffft. Bloody ponce, that's what he is._ Spike scowled all the way through the graveyard and through the streets, not knowing he was being watched.

Angel Snarls as he watches Spike walk with Dru with his arm around her. "You've crossed a line Spike. And that leads to consequences." After they disappear around the corner, Angel stands up from his hiding place. But he walks in the other direction. "Just give me time." and is engulfed by the shadows.

****

RILEY

Riley quickly walks up the sidewalk. "Angel is going to kill me! Literally!" Riley brings his hands up to his head. "She knew him! She KNEW him! I never should have said his name! Damn it! Damn it damn it DAMN IT!" he shouts out to no one, not realizing he was beside the graveyard. Then he hears muffled voices and immediately drops behind a bush close by. 

"Did you hear that Giles? I swear it was a….Damn it?" Buffy looks over at Giles and sees him looking at her sceptically." What? There could be a Damn it monster loose in Sunnydale. Never underestimate your local Damn it Demon." Buffy declares matter-of-factly, nodding her head. Giles just sighs and cleans his glasses. He continues to walk.

"Moving on, are you sure Drusilla is Handicapped? I'm not one for acting, but, could she be spoofing it?" Giles asks Buffy.

Buffy turns her head, looking at Giles as they walk. "Spoofing? You have a vocabulary meant for kings, and the best word you could use for that sentence, was Spoofing? I swear you need to get out more." Buffy smiles jokingly at Giles, who goes a tiny shade of red. "And no. I don't." Buffy stops and brings up one finger. "One, She saved me when she could have sucked me dry." Buffy brings up another finger, "Two, She was definitely afraid of Angel and Darla, not understanding where she was for a moment, and had lost all memory until a few minutes later." Buffy brings another finger up. "Three, she seemed sincere about her being sorry for her victims. She even apologized to me about Doug." She looks down at the ground. And brings her hand down." and besides, she's with Spike. Someone who hates her more than me, but when I went back in after I left her there, he protected her. That MUST mean there has been a change in her humanity." Buffy looks up at Giles and stops. She takes Giles's hands in her own in a very daughterly way. "Besides, I have the best Watcher a Slayer could have to catch me if I'm wrong." She hugs Giles.

"And a friend to pull me back up." She pulls away and they begin to walk again.

"Ah, thank you, Buffy." Giles says awkwardly. He feels like a father to this young girl, and at this moment, she showed him that he is more than just her teacher. Giles was touched by that.

Suddenly a Vampire jumps them from behind. "At last, We meet. For the first and last ti-" But Buffy doesn't even look at him or move when she brings her arm out and stakes him from behind. Giles watches the Vampire turn to dust.

"Bye bye." Giles remarks as he smiles and waves.

Buffy Sighs and looks at Giles. " Armatures. They think they can kill me." Buffy puts her stake back into her jacket.

Giles just watches the ashes be blown away by the wind. "Hm. How foolish." He replies. Then he looks over at Buffy. "Hungry?"

Buffy smiles. "Very. Let's try that burger palace palce, I hear they have excellent greasy fries."

Riley strains to hear what they say after that, but their voices are too faded. He gets up to follow them when his head bursts into pain. Immediately he brings his hands to his temples, and screams in agony, scaring some people walking by. He doubles over and Then he hears the familiar deep voice. _Meet me at the factory in 20 minutes._ Don't be late. Then it was gone. Only a small headache remained. Riley sneered and wiped his mouth, still holding one hand to his head. "Might as well go with some dignity." He stands straight, and walks quickly toward the factory once more.


	16. Discoveries

**Spike**

"I don't believe it." Spike says to Drusilla. "I mean, you thought that you could make a deal with ol' big bad, and still get a chance to kill the slayer? Just how well are you put together there Dru?" Spike asks Drusilla while knocking her on the top of her head lightly. "I mean, there certainly wasn't going to any loop hole. This guy knows what he's doing. After all, he's been doing it since the beginning of time." Spike looks over at Dru and his smile is instantly gone. After getting Dru to a slaughter house, and giving her some of the "leftovers", she became a gliding wonder once again. Holding her head up nobly, hands clasped in front, a small smile playing on her lips as she watched Spike feast, right then and there he could understand why Angel fell so hard for Dru. She was confidant and there was no fear what so ever in her eyes. But it had returned, and with full force. All humour was gone from their adventure and Spike knew it was time to get serious. Dru was pale, but not from lack of feeding. It was fear. Cold and hard fear streaked across her face which was constant and unchanging. "Dru?" Spike called out to her. "Dru love? You alright?" he lightly put a hand to her shoulder and she finally looks at him.

"Yes? What is it? Oh, were you talking?" Dru gives an apologetic smile and shrugs. " I guess I have a lot on my mind is all. You know, I can't think straight at all tonight." She brings a hand up to her head and looks away, staring into the pavement. "Just a slight headache." Drusilla whispers.

Spike reaches for Dru once more but she pulls away from him. " I think I should go now. You've….you've been a friend to me, when I need one Spike….my little Spiky…" Dru looks back at Spike, with a little smile on her lips now. " I wonder why I was so foolish as to go with that brute Angel….I had an angel with me all along…." Dru looks back down at the pavement and begins to turn to the left, moving away from Spike.

"Dru…" He calls out again. She stops and turns to look at him over her shoulder. " You…you know that you can…can come to me, right? For anything." Spike kicks himself mentally, reminding himself that she made him kill Elizabeth. But a part of him still cared for one of his elite members of their once fabulous group. He looks at her sympathetically, wondering if she'll be alright on her own. But Dru gives Spike a complete genuine smile.

"I know, my William. We have the stars…we will always have the stars…" And she turns her back to Spike, and continues to walk away, with a very cautious air about her.

Spike frowns. _Something isn't right._ Spike considers following her, but he knows she can take care of herself. But he rethinks it when he doesn't how she's like when she has a soul. Drusilla turns around a corner and disappears from sight. Spike starts to walk towards that corner when he just realizes something. He stops. _She _needs _to be away from me. I bring something back to her which makes her unhappy._ Spike frowns as he once again looks longingly at the corner, not sure what to do. _Or I could just be wrong and she's out on her own with out her instincts to protect her._ Spike then suddenly hears a large amount of grumbling and quickly ducks behind a wall ledge that was hiding a door. He slowly peeks around the ledge to see who it is and smiles to himself. _So, Angel's little toy has come out to wander._ Spike begins to come out of his hiding spot when he catches what he is saying to himself.

"Yes, she will pay…she has ruined everything, EVERYTHING! Not only will the master be furious….but the Mistress as well… they will be absolutely raving mad. They will hurt poor, poor Riley, making him bleed… then they will drink the bleeding… not a good night, never a good night…if only I…" but then it faded into nothing as he turns around the corner. The same corner as Drusilla.

Spike furrows his eyebrows together in concern, confusion, that was basically a 'what the hell?' look on his face. _Is Dru…PLAYING me?_ Spike thinks about it for a minute. _No, it can't be. I FELT her soul. I FELT her pain, I HERD her screaming soul as it passed back into this Earth. She can't be just pulling my strings…could she?_ Spike then is hit with a knew thought and starts to briskly walk down the street, towards a familiar house.

**Dawn**

When Dawn went on a search in Buffy's room for some good movie clothes, she had no idea what she was going to find. Dawn frantically searches her sister's dresser and closet for some styling clothes, with a few possibilities, when she spots a trunk end sticking out from the corner of the closet.

" Ah Ha! So THAT'S where Buffy's been hiding all of her good stuff." With a devilish smirk ( as all little sister have) she easily picks the trunk's lock, and with a quick glance around on the inside, Dawn realizes that there were just old childhood things resting inside of the Trunk. Rolling her eyes she starts to close it, when something sticking out from the side caught her eye. She pulls the piece of paper out to find a name scribbled quickly with a black marker on it, plus it obviously was cried on, and it was Buffy's hand writing. Being curious, Dawn wonders how it could have gotten it to the side. She starts to run her fingers along the edge until she comes across a crack in between the outer rim of the trunk and the inner layer of the trunk. Dawn quickly puts her fingers into the crack and finds an edge to lift the top off. Still curious, and also excited.

"FINALLY! All of Buffy's dirty little secrets revealed!" Dawn exclaims to herself as she pulls up the side, and then looks at the other side of the trunk for the other edge to lift up the top layer. With a smile on Dawn's face, she quickly grabs the other edge and lifts the top layer easily out of the trunk and onto the floor. Spinning back around to look into the trunk, Dawn's smile vanishes. Slowly, she puts her hand in to the secret compartment and pulls out a very long stick, obviously sharpened. Dawn puts down the stake and sticks her hand back into the trunk to pull out 3 glass bottles with a cross on each one. Words are on the front which read Holy Water, in a very gentile handwriting. A few minutes later, and Dawn is sitting in the middle of piles of slayer stuff. Axes, swords, more stakes then you can count, a least 20 bottles of holy water, crosses, garlic, and pictures. Of Doug and Buffy. But Dawn doesn't know who this guy is with Buffy in all of these pictures. Dawn looks one last time into the trunk, and sees books. One that stuck out the most is sitting on the very top of the pile, which is titled, ' The Slayer'. This book looks to be the oldest, and also most used. Dawn picks it up and opens it slightly and begins to read it. Dawn's shocked expression quickly is changed when she hears Buffy walk into the house.

"Hey mom!" Is faintly heard downstairs as Dawn quickly puts stakes and holy water away in the trunk she found. Footsteps are heard on the stairs as Dawn Picks up the layer which hides everything and quietly yet quickly puts it into place. Buffy can be heard humming to her self as Dawn shuts the Trunk and grabs a magazine and jumps onto Buffy's bed just as the door opens. Buffy's calm face quickly turns to anger when she sees her little sister in her room, on her bed, reading her magazine. Buffy sighs loudly and looks at her sister. Dawn looks up, rolls her eyes and gets off the bed, leaving the magazine behind. " What? I was just gonna look for some clothes to borrow-"

"more like steal and never been in my possession again." Buffy interrupts, crossing her arms. "Just leave, I'm in no mood to fight, and I'm really tired okay? Good." Buffy steps into the room, letting Dawn go by. " And besides, just wear the Blue tank with that black mini you have and you'll look great."

Dawn smiles slightly. "I didn't try that one yet…" then she closes her door to her room and Buffy is left in peace. Dawn's smile quickly vanishes once inside her own room. She walks up to her mirror and plucks a picture out stuck into the frame. It's one of her and Buffy from a few years ago. " That's what happened."

Dawn looks at Buffy's face, lit up like a Christmas tree. A genuine all teeth smile, sparkling eyes, great hair, obviously trying hard to stop laughing long enough for the picture to be taken. She was holding on to Dawn like a 3 year old on to their favourite Teddy Bear, giving her a hug which Dawn hasn't experienced since then. She was happy. Simple as that. Putting the picture down, Dawn picks up another one of her and Buffy that she hasn't put into the mirror fame yet. This one was taken only last week. This one was completely different. They weren't hugging, hell, they were barley touching. Dawn is smiling holding up a present she got for her birthday. Dawn looks like she's having the time of her life, whereas Buffy looks…how can she put it…depressed. Her smile is only a little closed one that went halfway up her mouth that didn't even reach her eyes. Buffy's hair is covering some of her face, and her arms are crossed, with a little bit of her back to the camera. She looks really tense. You can tell she just turned around so her mom could take the picture. Dawn sighs. She looks at other pictures from a while ago to the most recent, and Buffy looks the same in all of them. Sad. And hard. Like nothing could take her down, or affect her. Emotionally, in all of these pictures, Buffy just wasn't happy. Dawn thought it was because of the move that Buffy was being so difficult. But the more she thought about it, the more she knew that it started when they lived in LA, not Sunnydale. Dawn sinks to the floor clutching a photo of Buffy in the park, sitting on a bench in LA. She hadn't know Dawn took a picture, but to her, Buffy looked so poetic on the bench that day that Dawn had to take a snapshot before leaving after talking with her. The picture showed Buffy's head in her hands, her hair being blown slightly into the wind with her jacket sitting on the bench beside her. Her legs were tightly brought together at the knees and you could only see a sliver of her face. Dawn looks closer at the sliver of Buffy's face in the picture and she can feel a lump in her throat as her vision starts to get blurry. She looks up at the picture of her and Buffy stuck back into her mirror frame. Dawn blinks down hard and tears slip out of her eyes and across her cheeks. She curls herself into a ball, her arms wrapped around her knees.

" I'm sorry." She whispers to Buffy. " I understand. I know. I care." Dawn then cries, and cries, letting out all of her frustrations with her sister, letting it all go, every single time she got mad at her over the past 2 years, and Dawn cries. Just like Buffy in the park.


End file.
